17. — will surely cover thee.] Persons under disgrace or condemnation had their heads covered; see Esther vii. 8; Jer. xiv. 3. W. Lowth. See also note on Job ix. 24. 21. — strengthen him with thy girdle.] See chap. v. 27; and Job xii. 21; and the notes there. 22. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder:] A key is an emblem of trust; and the — Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste.] See note at 1 Kings xxii. 48. The destruction of such a mart as Tyre must have been a great loss to all merchant adventurers. W. Lowth. Concerning Chittim, see the note on Numb. xxiv. 24. 23. — I will fasten him as a nail &c.] See Ezra ix. 8; Ecclus. xiv. 24; Ezek. xv. 3. Where the way of life and houses are more simple, it is necessary to furnish the inside of the several apartments with sets of nails, or large pegs, to dispose of and hang up the moveables in common use. They do not drive these into the Eastern walls, which are too hard if of brick, if of clay too mouldering, but fix them in as they are building. Eliakim is considered a principal stake of this sort, for the support of all vessels destined for common or sacred uses; that is, as the principal support of the whole civil and ecclesiastical polity: the nail, mentioned ver. 25, is of course to be understood of Shebna. Bp. Lowth, Sir J. Chardin. Chap. XXIII. ver. 1. The burden of Tyre.] This prophecy may best be understood of Nebuchadnezzar's laying siege to Tyre, and taking it. The word "isle" is used in other texts for a maritime place; see note on chap. xi. 11; and, ver. 4, Tyre is called "the sea, the strength of the sea," because the inhabitants were strong at sea, and looked upon it as their proper element. W. Louth. VOL. II. waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. — her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.] He speaks of Tyre, as of a delicate woman forced to travel on foot into foreign countries. See chap. xlvii. 2; and note on chap. iii. 17. W. Lowth. Ver. 1. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty.] The same Hebrew word is in this chapter rendered either earth or land; and "the world," ver. 4, means the same thing; the Israelitish world. See note on chap. xiii. 11. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 3. — by great waters the seed of Sihor, &c.] An old English translation renders this more clearly, "the seed of Nilus, growing by the abundance of waters, &c." W. Lowth. The Nile is here called Sihor, (as 1 Chron. xiii. 5; Jer. ii. 18,) from the blackness of its waters charged with the mud, which it brings down from Ethiopia when it overflows; see note on Gen. xv. 18. Egypt by its extraordinary fertility, caused by this overflowing, supplied the neighbouring nations with corn; by which branch of trade the Tyrians gained great wealth. Bp. Louth. Ezekiel, as it were commenting upon these words of Isaiah, "the mart of nations," recounts (chap. xxvii.) the various nations whose commodities were brought to Tyre, and were bought and sold by the Tyrians. It was, as is well known, the most celebrated place in the world for its trade and navigation, the seat of commerce, and the centre of riches. Bp. Newton. 4. — the sea hath spoken,—saying, I travail not, &c.] Tyre is here introduced bemoaning her desolate condition, that she is become as though she never had any children or inhabitants. W. Lowth. Zidon, as the mother city, (see ver. 12,) is supposed to be deeply afflicted with the calamity of her daughter. Bp. Lowth. 5. As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.] The destruction of Tyre here spoken of being prior to that calamity of Egypt which is usually joined with it in the Prophets; see Ezek. xxix. 18, 19; others render this verse thus; "As soon as the report of Tyre shall come to Egypt, they shall be in great pain;" namely, because of the export of their corn: see note on ver. 3. W. Lowth. 6. Pass ye over] What the Prophet delivers by way of advice is to be understood as a prediction; and St. Jerome asserts, upon the authority of Assyrian histories now lost, that the Tyrians, when they were besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, and saw no hope of escaping, fled to Carthage, or some islands of the Ionian and Ægean sea. Here the Prophet bids them pass to Tarshish, that is, Tartessus in Spain; and (ver. 12,) to Chittim, the S The miserable overthrow of Tyre. Before CHRIST about 715. afar off. polite. creasing a merchantman. Canaan. strengths. 9.— to stain the pride of all glory.] Not long before the delivery of this prophecy, the Tyrians had beat the fleets of Shalmaneser with a very inferior force, and held out five years against his siege, when he died; they grew very insolent upon such success, and to this pride of theirs this prophecy of Isaiah may more particularly refer. Dean Prudeaux, Dr. Wells. 10. Pass through thy land as a river.] A city, taken by siege, and destroyed, whose walls are demolished, whose policy is dissolved, whose wealth is dissipated, whose people is scattered over the wide country, is here compared to a river, whose banks are broken down, and its waters, let loose, and overflowing all the neighbouring plains, are wasted and lost. A "girdle," which collects, binds, and keeps together the loose raiment, when applied to a river, may mean a mound, mole, or artificial dam, which contains the waters, and prevents them from spreading abroad. Bp. Lowth. See the marginal reading. — O daughter of Tarshish? Tyre is, at ver. 12, called "daughter of Zion," being, as tradition says, a colony from that ancient city; and here (though it might seem natural for a similar reason to call Tarshish "daughter of Tyre") is termed "daughter of Tarshish;" perhaps because, Tyre being runned, Tarshish was become the superior city, and might be considered as the metropolis of the Tyrian people; or rather, because of the close connexion and perpetual intercourse between them, according to the latitude of signification, in which the Hebrews use the words "son" and "daughter," to express any sort of conjunction or dependence whatever. Vitringa, Bp. Lowth. 12.— there also shalt thou have no rest.] After Nebu- chadnezzar had subdued Tyre and Egypt, we may suppose, as Megasthenes reports, that he carried his arms farther westward; so that, their conqueror thus pursuing them, the Tyrians might well be said to have no rest: however this might be, in aftertimes the Carthaginians, and other colonies with which the Tyrians on this occasion incorporated, (see note on ver. 6,) were continually in a very unsettled tumultuous state. Bp. Newton. 13. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; &c.] The prophet begins here with an exclamation, importing that something new and unexpected is about to follow; which is, not that the predicted overthrow of Tyre should be brought about, as any one might have supposed, by the Assyrians, who were the ruling power in Asia at the time when the prophecy was delivered; but that the people of the Chaldeans, at that period comparatively inconsiderable, fixed originally, from a straggling life, in their place of residence by the Assyrians, and indebted to them for all their improvements after, that "he," namely, this people, should "bring Tyre to ruin." Vitringa. 15.— according to the days of one king.] The word "king" is put here for kingdom, as Dan. vii. 17; viii. 20. The destruction of Tyre was some time after that of Jerusalem; but Jeremiah seems (chap. xxv. 11, 12,) to confine the subjection of all the countries which Nebuchadnezzar conquered to seventy years; some of them were subdued sooner, some later, but the end of that period was the common term for the liberation of them all. Nebuchadnezzar began his conquests in the first year of his reign; from thence to the taking of Babylon by Cyrus are the seventy years; and these limit the duration of the Babylonish monarchy. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 15—17.— after the end of seventy years &c.] Tyre is represented as an harlot, and from thence these figures are taken; the meaning is, that she should recover her liberties and trade, and draw in all nations to deal with her. Bp. Newton. According to the prophecy, the seventy years being expired, we find that the Tyrians were restored to their former privileges, and allowed a king of their own. This favour seems to have been granted them by Darius Hystaspes, in consideration of their usefulness to him in his naval wars: they soon recovered their former prosperity, traffick, power, and The doleful judgments of God upon the land. Before CHRIST about 715. city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. 18. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: &c.] The Prophet speaks here not of what the Tyrians would do immediately on their restitution, but some time after, in the days of the Messiah. So that this is a prophecy concerning the conversion of the Tyrians to the true religion, of the accomplishment of which something is said in Acts xxi. 3—5; and more in other authors. Poole. Tyre, after its second destruction by Alexander, again recovered its ancient trade and grandeur. It became early Christian with the rest of the neighbouring countries: St. Paul himself found many Christians there. It suffered much in Diocletian's persecution. It was an archbishopric under the patriarchate of Jerusalem, with fourteen bishopricks under its jurisdiction. Bp. Lowth. Chap. XXIV. The subject of this chapter some refer to the desolation caused by the invasion of Shalmaneser; others by that of Nebuchadnezzar; and others to the destruction of the city and nation by the Romans. Perhaps it may have a view to all the three great desolations of the country; the Prophet chiefly employs general images, such as set forth the greatness and universality of the ruin to be brought on, involving all orders and degrees of men, changing entirely the face of things, and destroying the whole polity, both religious and civil. Bp. Lowth. The prophecy takes in many very distant views, no one prior period of time setting a bound to the prospect: we may extend it to every age, from the time of its delivery to the very end of the with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants &c.] The contagion of sin infects the very ground, and brings a curse on it, (ver. 6;) see Gen. iii. 17; Numb. xxxv. 33; Ps. cvii. 34. "The everlasting covenant." See Gen. xvii. 7, where God so calls the covenant between Him and Abraham; because it was to endure for a long succession of years, to last till the New Age, that of the Messiah, should come. W. Lowth. See note on chap. ii. 2. 6.—the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.] In the figurative language of the Prophets, burning any thing with fire is put for the consuming thereof by war. Sir J. Newton. 9.—strong drink shall be bitter] The word rendered by us by this general term, as Theodoret and St. Chrysostom, both Syrians, inform us, meant properly palm or date wine, which was and is still much in use in the Eastern countries. It is said here that all enjoyment shall cease; the sweetest wine become bitter to their taste. Bp. Lowth. S 2 God in his judgments shall advance his kingdom. Before CHRIST about 712. 13. — as the shaking of an olive tree.] See note on chap. xvii. 6. 14. They shall lift up their voice, &c.] The great distresses brought upon Israel and Judah drove the people away, and dispersed them over the neighbouring countries; they fled to Egypt, Asia Minor, the islands and coasts of Greece. They had synagogues for their worship in many places, and were greatly instrumental in propagating the knowledge of the true God in these heathen nations, and preparing them for the reception of Christianity. This is what the Prophet seems to mean by the celebration of the name of Jehovah in the waters, and in the uttermost parts; the term "the sea" is used by the Hebrews for the distant nations, the islands, the dwellers on the sea-coasts all over the world: for "fires," ver. 15, (for which the margin gives "valleys,") by the slight alteration of one letter in the original, we should probably read "isles:" this is in a great degree justified by the repetition of the same word in the next member of the sentence, with the addition "of the sea;" which is exactly in the manner of the Prophet. Bp. Lowth. See note on chap. xi. 11. The prophecy appears to point also to the times of the Messiah, and to describe the language of the converted Jews uttered in exultation and thanksgiving for the blessings of Christ and the Gospel. Poole. 16. — But I said, My leanness, &c.] The Prophet speaks in the person of the inhabitants of the land still remaining; who should be pursued by Divine vengeance, and suffer repeated distress from the inroads and depredations of their powerful enemies. Bp. Lowth. 17. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee.] If they escape one calamity, another shall overtake them; compare Amos v. 19: the images are taken from the different methods of hunting and taking wild beasts anciently in use. The "fear," (or rather "terrour,") was a line strung with feathers of all colours, which, fluttering in the air, scared and frightened the wild beasts into the toils or pit prepared for them. The "pit," or pit-fall, was digged deep in the ground, and covered with green boughs, turf, &c., to deceive them. The "snare," or toils, a series of nets, enclosing at first a great space of ground in which the wild beasts were known to be, and then drawn in by degrees into a narrower compass, till they were at last closely shut up and entangled by them. In the place of Jeremiah corresponding to ver. 18, it is simply "fleeth from the fear," and indeed it does not appear that the terrour was intended to scare by its noise. Bp. Lowth. 18. — the windows from on high are open.] A plain allusion to the description of the deluge, Gen. vii. 11. W. Lowth. 21. 23. — the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones &c.] That is, the ecclesiastical and civil polity of the Jews, which shall be destroyed: the nation shall continue in a state of depression and dereliction for a long time, (ver. 22,) the image seems to be taken from the practice of monarchs, to let their captives be a long time disregarded in their dungeons. God shall at length revisit and restore his people in the last age; and the kingdom of God be then established in such perfection, as wholly to eclipse (ver. 23,) the glory of the temporary, typical, preparative kingdom, formerly subsisting. Bp. Lowth. 23. — before his ancients gloriously.] An allusion to &c.] This is the triumph of Christ's faithful servants, who have constantly maintained his honour and worship in this present life, against all the opposition of wicked men and devils: when they shall see Him coming in the clouds with power and great glory, to receive them to Himself, it will transport them, as it justly may, with an ecstasy of gladness, and they shall cry out before all the gazing spectators, This is our God, whom we have depended on for the salvation which He promised us. Reading. 2. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation &c.] The expression denotes the enlarging of the number of believers, and the bringing into the Church daily of "such as should be saved." Compare chap. lx. 11; Rev. xxi. 25. W. Lowth. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee;] Peace is then perfect, when we have it with God, with our neighbour, and with ourselves. This threefold peace of heaven, of charity, of conscience, is the grace and gift of Christ; none is "perfect" and complete but that which He bestows. Wogan. 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise &c.] The sense of this verse more fully expressed is as follows; As a thick cloud interposing tempers the heat of the sun on the burnt soil, so shalt Thou, by the interposition of thy power, bring low and abate the tumult of the proud, and the triumph of the formidable. Bp. Lowth. 6. — unto all people a feast. This can be no other than the celebration of the establishment of Christ's kingdom, frequently represented in the Gospel under the image of a feast, Matt. viii. 11; Luke xiv. 16; xxii. 29, 30. This sense is fully confirmed by what follows in the next verses, the removing of the vail from the nations, and the abolition of death. The first of which is obviously and clearly explained of the preaching of the Gospel; and the second must mean the blessing of immortality procured for us by Christ, "who hath abolished death, and through death, hath destroyed him that had the power of death," 2 Tim. i. 10; Heb. ii. 14. Bp. Lowth. — wines on the lees. That is, kept long on the lees: the word used to express the "lees" in the original signifies the "preservers;" because they preserve the strength and flavour of the wine: see Jer. xlviii. 11. Bp. Lowth. 6. — the feet of the poor.] The planting of the Gospel was a remarkable triumph over the power and the wisdom of men; when "God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the things which were wise; and the weak things of the world to confound the things which were mighty:" and under every advancement of Christ's kingdom, the poor and the humble, those that Before CHRIST about 712. truths. peace. or, imagination. rock of ages. 7. And he will destroy in this mountain] At Jerusalem shall the Gospel begin, by which God shall bring all nations from the ignorance of heathenism to the knowledge of the true God. Dr. Wells. — the face of the covering] Compare Job xli. 13. 8. He will swallow up death in victory; &c.] The passages of the New Testament, to which the margin refers, shew how St. Paul and St. John apply this place to the general resurrection and heavenly state: nor will these promises till then be made good. W. Lowth. The troubles and labours of the present world, and the dissolution of the body, do still take place as warnings and chastisements for sinners; but the sorrows are not comfortless, nor the dissolution final: the dominion of death consisted in this, that it rendered that dissolution final and irreparable; and the devil is said to have God's victorious salvation. A song inciting to confidence in God, Before CHRIST about 712. away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. 10. — Moab shall be trodden down &c.] Rather, "Moab shall be threshed in his place, as the straw is threshed under the wheels of the car;" Bp. Lowth; or by the feet of oxen. The original verb does not signify to "be trodden down," but to "be threshed," as noted in the margin: and straw is too valuable in the East to be "trodden down for the dunghill." Severe calamities inflicted on nations and people are in Scripture often compared to the Oriental manner of threshing corn and straw: see 2 Kings xiii. 7; Amos i. 3; Hab. iii. 12; compare Isa. xxi. 10; xh. 15; Dan. ii. 35. Parkhurst. In this name are intended to be included all the neighbouring states who were enemies of the Jewish nation; that is, in a spiritual sense, all people who should oppose the kingdom of the Messiah. Vitringa. For as the Gentile world, grafted into the Church and proselyted to the true religion, are comprehended in the name of "Israel," so those that continue to reject and oppose it are reasonably couched under the title of "enemies of Israel;" and what might in some respects have a literal relation to the state and circumstances of the nations IN that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands &c.] There is great obscurity in this place: some understand God as the agent, others Moab. Bp. Lowth. Some understand the words of Moab doing all he can to save himself, as swimmers do when in danger of drowning; yet that "God should bring down his pride:" others interpret the whole verse of God; that He should stretch forth his hands and reach his enemies wherever they might be. W. Lowth. Chap. XXVI. ver. 1. — We have a strong city;] In opposition to the city of the enemy which God had destroyed, chap. xxv. 2; or to "the lofty city," ver. 5, of this chapter; under which similitude are represented those who pride themselves on worldly power and greatness, and are enemies of God's truth. The Church is the city of God, Heb. xii. 22. Compare with this place also, chap. lx. 18; Zech. ii. 5. Bp. Lowth, W. Lowth. of the world will learn righteousness.] God does not punish for the sake of punishment merely; even his severities are the effects of goodness, and always directed to the advantage of those who feel them, or at least of others, "that they may hear, and fear, and do no more wickedness." The great comprehensive lesson which He intends to teach by every judgment is, an awful regard to Himself as the moral governour of the world, and the practice of religion. Abp. Secker. 11. — yea, the fire of thine enemies &c.] Yea, that fire of thy wrath, which Thou reservest for thine enemies, shall devour them. Bp. Hall. 13. — other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: &c.] We, who had not the grace to submit ourselves wholly to thy governance, have been justly given over to the tyranny of wicked rulers, who have exacted sinful obedience from us: but we will stick close unto Thee alone, and through thy gracious aid will hold firm to thy truth, and yield to no other religion but that which Thou hast prescribed us. Bp. Hall. 19. Thy dead men shall live, &c.] Rather, "Thy dead shall live; my deceased, they shall rise." Bp. Louth. The dissolution of a body politick is in figurative language signified by death, and the revival of a dissolved dominion by the resurrection of the dead. Sir I. Newton. The deliverance of the people of God from a state of depression is here thus expressed, with manifest opposition to what is said above (ver. 14,) of the tyrants under whom they had groaned, that they should be utterly destroyed, should never be restored to their former power and glory. It should appear, from the Prophet's using this metaphor, that the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was at that time a popular and common doctrine. Bp. Louth. The restoration of the Jews, whether after the Babylonish captivity, or after their dispersions in following times, is represented as a rising again from the dead by Ezekiel, chap. xxxvii; and this place of Isaiah may in its primary sense mean no more: but this was undoubtedly one of those texts upon which the ancient Jews grounded their belief of the resurrection, the hope of which was founded on "the Law and the Prophets," as St. Paul tells them, Acts xxiv. 14. W. Louth. The ancient Jews understood this passage so: the Prophet speaks of the figurative and typical resurrection of the Jewish state and church, but the phraseology is taken from the resurrection of the last day, and to it is our attention intended to be directed. Vitringa. — thy dew is as the dew of herbs.] The force of the comparison seems to be, As the hidden dew of herbs revives them, so shall thine, O Lord, (compare Hos. xiv. 5,) the power of thy word and blessing, thy vivifying Spirit, call to life thy dead bodies; that is, those of thy faithful servants. Vitringa. 20. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, &c.] The Prophet appears here in the person of God, to confirm the hopes and expectations contained in the preceding hymn of the faithful, by an exhortation to patience, and promise of support and deliverance from all the judgments and persecutions, which might in aftertimes befall the people of God, or Church of Christ; to terminate with those terrible but short calamities, The care of God over his vineyard. ISAIAH. His chastisements differ from judgments. Before CHRIST about 712. out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her † blood, and shall no more cover her slain. # CHAP. XXVII. 12. — the stream of Egypt.] See the note on Gen. xv. 18. — ye shall be gathered] We have much the same scene here as in the latter part of chap. xi, and elsewhere not unfrequently in the Prophets: see note on chap. xi. 11. Assyria and Egypt are mentioned in the next verse, as principal countries from whence the dispersions should return; they are usually joined, as chief oppressors of Israel. W. Lowth. Chap. XXVIII. ver. 1. Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim.] Sebaste, the ancient Samaria, is situated on a long mount of an oval figure, surrounded with a rich valley, and a circle of other hills beyond it: it is probable that this suggested the idea of a chaplet or wreath of flowers worn upon their heads on occasions of festivity; expressed by the proud crown and fading flower of drunkards. That this custom of wearing chaplets in their feasts prevailed among the Jews, as well as among the Greeks and Romans, appears from Wisd. ii. 7, 8. Moundrell, Bp. Lowth. —add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.] Ironically, Go on year after year; keep your solemn feasts; yet know, that God will punish you for your hypocritical worship, consisting of mere form, destitute of true piety. This might perhaps be delivered at the time of some great feast, when they were thus employed. Bp. Lowth. 2. Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, &c.] Under these resemblances the Prophet represents Shalmaneser, who should carry away the ten tribes captive, of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. Before CHRIST about 725. 4. — which when he that looketh upon it seeth, &c.] This image in the strongest manner expresses the great case with which the Assyrians should take the city and the whole kingdom, and the avidity with which they should seize the rich prey without resistance. Bp. Lowth. 5. — unto the residue of his people.] To ver. 5, the prophecy has related to the Israelites, and their approaching destruction; here it turns to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who were to continue a kingdom after the final captivity of the Israelites. It begins with a favourable prognostication of their affairs under Hezekiah, but soon changes to reproofs and threatenings for their intemperance, disobedience, and profaneness. Bp. Lowth. 6. — that turn the battle to the gate.] That pursue the enemy to the gates of their own cities. See 1 Sam. xvii. 52; 2 Sam. xi. 23. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 9. Whom shall he teach knowledge? &c.] The scoffers, mentioned ver. 14, seem to be introduced here as uttering their sententious speeches. What, say they, doth He treat us as little children, perpetually inculcating the same elementary lessons, the mere rudiments of knowledge, precept upon precept, &c.? Ver. 11, God, may be supposed by his Prophet to retort upon them The Jews' untowardness to learn. Christ is promised. Before CHRIST about 725. Or. hath been. stammerings of lips. a 1 Cor. 14. 21. Or. he hath spoken. weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 15. — We have made a covenant with death, &c.] To be in covenant with, is a kind of proverbial expression to denote perfect security from evil and mischief of any sort. See Job v. 23. W. Lowth. 16. — Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, &c.] The Church being wholly built upon Christ, and all our hopes of salvation depending upon Him, He is often spoken of in Holy Writ under the name and notion of a rock or stone: see the passages referred to in the margin. Bp. Beveridge. — he that believeth shall not make haste.] He that believeth God's promises, will patiently depend upon God; and not, out of distrust of his mercy, betake himself to any unlawful means of securing himself, as many did, ver. 15. The Septuagint read, "shall not be ashamed." W. Lowth. tion: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17. Judgment also will I lay to the line, &c.] The Prophet carries on the metaphor of building, and tells the scorners, that God would square his actions by the severest rules of justice. W. Lowth. 20. For the bed is shorter—and the covering narrower &c.] Two proverbial expressions, importing that all worldly comforts are insufficient to cure the disorders they are applied to, and human devices too short to secure us against the hand of Providence, whenever that designs to punish. W. Lowth. 21. For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim.] The destruction of the Philistines there is, in the passages referred to in the margin, compared to a "breach of waters," much the same comparison as is here used, ver. 19. The extraordinary manifestations of God's power there and at Gibeon were for the deliverance of his people; but now God will act contrary to his usual proceedings of grace and mercy. W. Lowth. 23. Give ye ear, and hear my voice:] The foregoing discourse, consisting of severe reproofs and threatenings to the Jews for their vices, and profane contempt of God's warnings by his messengers, the Prophet concludes with an explanation and defence of God's method of dealing with his people in a parable; in which He employs a variety of images, taken from the science of agriculture. As the husbandman uses various methods in preparing his land, and adapting it to the several kinds of seed to be sown, with a due observation of God's discreet providence. His judgment upon Jerusalem. Or, the wheat in the principal place, and barley in the appointed place? Or, spell. He, border? Or, And he dwelt it in such sort as his God doth teach him. 29. This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, &c.] Since the Lord of hosts hath given this wit and understanding to plain men, for the management of their affairs, in due times and fit ways; how much more shall He, who is infinite in wisdom, contrive his own works, both of mercy and judgment, with men? Bp. Hall. ful in counsel, and excellent in working. # CHAP. XXIX. eateth; &c.] The Assyrians had swallowed up Jerusalem in imagination; but God intended suddenly to disappoint their hopes, and send them away empty and confounded. W. Lowth. 9. Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; &c.] The Prophet upbraids the Jews for their carelessness and stupidity, and compares them to men intoxicated. W. Lowth. Their drunkenness is that drunkenness of intellect, which makes them blind to the prophecies relating to the Messiah, and to themselves, and keeps them to this hour in expectation of a different Messiah from Him whom they crucified. Bp. Horsley. See note on chap. h. 21. 11. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, &c. Rabbies of great antiquity and authority have observed from this text, that the knowledge of their prophecies shall be taken from them, and be lost with the Hebrew, their native language: but the Messiah shall restore to them the understanding of both, and open the sealed book. Compare ver. 18, with what is said ver. 10, 11, &c. Bp. Chandler. See note on chap. viii. 16. 14. — the wisdom of their wise men shall perish. Since this people have trusted to their own wisdom, the very wisest of them shall be blinded; they shall bring down destruction upon themselves by their very wisdom. Bp. Wilson. How remarkably was this verified, when the rabbies and elders of the Jews, fatally mistaking, applied to their ceremonies and traditions, and rejected the Gospel! and ever since have the same orders minded little else than fabulous stories, and vented trifles for profound mysteries. W. Lowth. 17. — Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest! A proverbal saying, expressing a great revolution of things, and explained with great probability to have its principal view, beyond the events then near at hand, to the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. The first were the vineyard of God cultivated and watered by Him in vain, afterwards to be given up and become a wilderness; (see chap. v. 1—7;) the last had been A promise of sanctification. CHAP. XXIX, XXX. The prophet threateneth the people. Before CHRIST about 712. add. know understanding. deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. profit them, &c.] The Egyptians in alliance with the Ethiopians did assist the Jews against Sennacherib, but they were both entirely routed. See chap. xx. 5. W. Lowth. 4. And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, &c.] In prophetick language, speaking with a faint voice out of the dust, stands for being in a weak and low condition. Sir I. Newton. Hezekiah sends ambassadors to bespeak the favour of the king The senselessness, and deep hypocrisy of the Jews. Before CHRIST about 712. or, chirp. the ground, and thy speech shall 6. The burden of the beasts of the south:] The word "burden" here seems to be used in its proper sense; the load, not the oracle. Bp. Lowth. — from whence come—the viper and the fiery flying serpent.] The wilderness that lies between Egypt and Judea is thus described by Moses, Deut. viii. 15. W. Lowth. This was designed to be a kind of barrier between the Israelites and Egypt, of which the Lord says, Deut. xvii. 16. "Ye shall henceforth return no more that way." Bp. Lowth. Concerning the "fiery flying serpent," see note on Numb. xxi. 6. Niebuhr mentions a sort of serpents, as does Pliny also, that twirl themselves by the tail to a branch of one date tree, and so spring to the branches of another; hence the modern Arabs call them "flying serpents:" Anson speaks of flying serpents at the island of Quibo; they "dared themselves" from the boughs of trees upon man and beast, but were without wings. The prophet threateneth the people for their contempt of God's word. Before CHRIST about 713. Or, to her. latter day. Or, fraud. the battle of potters. have I cried || concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. 7. — therefore have I cried concerning this.] Or, as in the margin, "I have cried to her," that is, to Jerusalem, that their best security will be to be quiet, and see the salvation which God will work for them; see ver. 15. W. Lowth. 10. — Prophecy not unto us right things, &c.] These were not the very words they spake, but this was the true meaning of what they said : see their behaviour to Jeremiah, Jer. xx. 1; xxxviii. 4. 6; to Amos, Amos vii. 10; and to Micaiah, 1 Kings xxii. 8. 27. W. Lowth. They conferred all their favours upon such prophets as took care to say nothing that was displeasing or contrary to the politicks of the times, but represented God as favourable to their designs, when He was utterly against them : but the plain-dealing preachers, who spoke to them the word of the Lord without reserve or disguise, were the objects of their hatred and aversion. Reading. 13. — as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall.] The buildings in Asia in general consist of little better than what we call mud-walls; see Sir J. Chardin's note on chap. ix. 10. Thevenot says much the same of the houses in Persia. This shews how obvious and expressive the image is. The Psalmist uses the same, to imply sudden and utter destruction, Ps. lxii. 3. Bp. Lowth. 18. — therefore will the Lord wait, &c.] The seeming incoherence of the prophetic style would be avoided in many places by regarding the various sense of the Hebrew particles more carefully than interpreters have generally done. The particle rendered therefore may be more clearly here, and in some other places, translated nevertheless; (W. Lowth.) or, in this place perhaps, after this. Dr. Bloyney. 19. The meek also shall increase their joy] See notes on chap. xi. 4; xxvi. 6. 19. For the people shall dwell in Zion &c.] From this verse to the twenty-seventh, follow many gracious promises of mercy, several of which cannot with propriety be applied to the prosperous times of Hezekiah's reign, which succeeded to the great deliverance; but we are rather to suppose the Prophet taking a hint from them, and carried on to the better days that were to be under the Gospel. W. Lowth. 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images &c.] See note on chap. ii. 18. 21. — lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate.] Who plot mischief against those that sit at the city gates to distribute justice; (W. Lowth. See notes on Gen. xxiii. 10; Esther ii. 19;) who try to bring authority into contempt, that they may have their own ends without controul. Bp. Wilson. Chap. XXX. See the introductory note to the preceding chapter. Ver. 1. — that cover with a covering, &c.] This "covering" may mean their seeking refuge and protection from Egypt without any direction from God; (see ver. 2); or, in general, forming schemes to secure themselves, by ungodly methods, called a "covering" or "hidingplace of falsehood:" see chap. xxviii. 15. 17; xxix. 15. W. Lowth. 4. For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors come to Hanes.] These are principal cities of Egypt. "Hanes" is called, Jer. ii. 16; xliii. 7; Ezek. xxx. 18. "Tahapanes," "Tahpanhes," and "Tahaphnches." "Zoan" is mentioned, chap. xix. 11. 13. W. Lowth. See the note on the latter place. So fond were the Jews of their Egyptian allies, that even the good Hezekiah sent ambassadors to treat with them for succours against Sennacherib. Thus the best of men are too apt, on the first appearance of danger or surprise, to have recourse his church. 27 God's wrath, and the people's joy, in the destruction of Assyria. Before CHRIST about 713. WOE to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: — battles of shaking] "Shaking," or stretching out, the hand of the Lord. See chap. xix. 16. Purkhurst. chariots.] See note on chap. ii. 6, 7. Egypt is described here, and elsewhere in Scripture, as abounding in horses; it has been remarked that profane writers have not much noticed this circumstance; but it must be remembered, that the period they chiefly treat of was subsequent to the cutting up of the country with the multitude of canals, which would greatly alter its face, and which alone is mentioned by Herodotus as rendering it unfit for horses; we may add also the circumstance of the seat of government's being, under the latter kings of Egypt, fixed at a place very near upon the sea, Alexandria. Bachart, Vitringa. 3. — at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.] It has been usual to consider God the person 5. As birds flying &c.] Compare Deut. xxxii. 11. W. Lowth. — and passing over he will preserve it.] Most interpreters observe in this place an allusion to the deliverance which God vouchsafed his people, when, going through the land of Egypt to smite the firstborn, He "passed over" the houses of the Israelites. The smultitude designed in this verse seems to be, As the mother bird spreads her wings to cover her young, throws herself before them, and opposes the rapacious bird that assaults them, so shall the Lord defend Jerusalem, protecting and delivering, springing forward and rescuing her. In the same manner may the act of "passing over," Exod. xii. 23, be supposed to consist in the Lord's springing forward to arrest the hand of the destroying angel. Bp. Lowth. 8. Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man;] Literally rendered, "of no man." Bp. Lowth. See note on chap. x. 15. He shall not fall by any mortal power, but by the hand of an angel, chap. xxxvii. 36. If we follow the common opinion, that the Assyrian army was destroyed by a pestilential disease, the immediate stroke of Heaven, the expressions here exactly agree with the description of the angel who smote the Jews with a pestilence, 1 Chron. xxi, who is there represented as standing with "a sword drawn in his hand," ver. 16. W. Lowth. See note on chap. x. 16. God's judgments against the enemies of his church. Before CHRIST about 713. Or, and the city shall be utterly obased. 5, 6. The Lord is exalted; &c.] A chorus of Jews is introduced, acknowledging the mercy and power of God, who had undertaken to protect them; extolling it in opposition to the boasted power of their enemies; and celebrating the wisdom and piety of their king Hezekiah, who had placed his confidence in the favour of God. Bp. Lowth. 6. — shall be the stability of thy times, — the fear of the Lord is his treasure.] Such variation of persons, as we have here, and above, ver. 2, is not uncommon. Vitriga, W. Lowth. See Bp. Lowth's note on Deut. xxxii. 5. 7—10. In these verses the Prophet describes the disappointment of Hezekiah's ambassadors, who humbly sued for peace, which indeed had been bought, 2 Kings xviii. 14—16, though Sennacherib would not stand to the agreement; the damp that struck upon the spirits of the whole nation; and, ver. 10, the immediate interposition of God when matters became desperate. W. Lowth. 10. Now will I rise, saith the Lord;] God Himself is again introduced, declaring that He will interpose in this critical situation of affairs, and disappoint the vain designs of the enemies of his people, by discomfiting them and utterly consuming them. Bp. Lowth. 11, 12. Ye shall conceive chaff, &c.] Here follows, still in the person of God, which, however, falls at last into that of the Prophet, a description of the dreadful appre- Before CHRIST about 713. Heb. salvations. Or, messengers. Or, withered away. 19. — the city shall be low] See note on chap. xxv. 2. 20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, &c. This sowing in watery places exactly answers the manner of planting rice; for they sow it upon the water; and before sowing, while the earth is covered with water, they cause the ground to be trolden by oxen, horses, and asses; and this is the way of preparing the ground for sowing. As they sow the rice on the water, they transplant it in the water. Sir J. Chardon. The Prophet foresees and pronounces blessed the lot of those that should go out in the Gospel times to sow the word in all lands, when the desert of the Gentiles should be changed into a fruitful field, and the parched ground become springs of water, chap. xxx. 25; xxxv. 7. We may suppose him to contrast with this happy prospect with his own fruitless labours in preaching to the obstinate and impenitent Jews. Vitriga. Chap. XXXIII. We may call this chapter a triumphant ode upon the destruction of Sennacherib's army before Jerusalem. The Prophet sets forth the several scenes of that transaction with all the beauties of portical description. At the beginning he addresses himself to Sennacherib, "Woe to thee that spoilest," &c. expressing the injustice of his ambitious designs, and the sudden disappointment of them. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. Ver. 2. O Lord, be gracious unto us; &c.] The Jews are here introduced offering up their earnest supplications to God in their present distressful condition; with expressions of their trust and confidence in his protection. Bp. Lowth. — be thou their arm] Several versions give it, "our arm or strength." Bp. Lowth. 24. — that ear the ground] "Ear," that is, plough. See the note on Gen. xlv. 6. Concerning winnowing, see note at Ruth iii. 2; Ps. i. 4. From this passage it appears, that asses as well as oxen were anciently employed in Judea for ploughing, and so they are in the East to this day. Dr. Russell says, that after the camel, the ass may be reckoned the next in importance among the Syrian beasts of burden. Large caravans of them are employed in bringing provisions from the villages: they serve also for the plough. And Niebuhr tells us, that near Bagdad he twice saw an ass harnessed to a plough together with oxen. Parkhurst. 25. — there shall be rivers and streams of waters! Rain, and dew, and living water, are put in prophetic language for the graces and doctrines of the Spirit, and the defect of rain for spiritual barrenness. Sir I. Newton. See ver. 23. — in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.] This must refer to the great and terrible destruction of God's enemies, which shall be hereafter, when the strong fortifications, or perhaps the great ones of the earth, denoted here by the towers, shall fall. See Rev. xiv. 20; xix. 21. W. Lowth. 26. — the light of the moon &c.] The Hebrew poets, to express happiness, prosperity, advancement of kingdoms, &c. make use of images taken from the most striking parts of nature, from the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars, shining with increased splendour, and never setting; new heavens and a new earth are created, and a brighter age commences: calamity, the overthrow and destruction of kingdoms, are represented by opposite images. See notes on chap. xiii. 10. 13. Bp. Lowth. 27. Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from far, burning with his anger, &c.] From hence to the end of the chapter follows a lively description of God's vengeance, devouring the Assyrian army like fire, and consuming it all at once. W. Lowth. tion, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 28. — to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity.] The sieve or van of the ancients was a large instrument somewhat like a shovel, with a long handle, with which they tossed the corn mixed with the chaff and chopped straw into the air, that the wind might separate them. "But the van," Kimchi observes, "with which God will winnow the nations, will be the van of emptiness or perdition: for nothing useful shall remain behind, but all shall come to nothing and perish. In like manner, a bridle is designed to guide the horse in the right way; but the bridle which God will here put into the jaws of the people, shall not direct them aright, but shall, in his judgment on their stubbornness, make them err, and lead them into destruction." This latter image the Prophet applies to the same subject, chap. xxxvii. 29. Bps. Lowth and Hall. 29. Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept.] The Jewish festivals were kept from even to even, Lev. xxiii. 32. The feast of the Passover is chiefly alluded to here, which was kept in the evening, and the supper concluded with a hymn, Matt. xxvi. 30. W. Lowth. 32. And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, &c.] In an old English translation it is much planner, "Whithersoever he goes, the rod shall cleave unto him, which the Lord shall lay upon him." The words translated "the grounded staff," signify such a rod or stroke as sinks deep, and makes lasting marks in the flesh. W. Lowth. The verse may be thus paraphrased: So shall the Lord smite him again, and smite him soundly and deep, so that the prints of his staff shall be seen upon him; and, wheresoever the Lord shall lay his heavy hand upon him, the judgment shall be entertained with the joy and acclamation of all his oppressed neighbours, as a benefit to themselves; and in all his terrifying battles will the Lord, with his staff of vengeance, fight against him. Bp. Hall. Before CHRIST about 713. glory of his voice. passing of the rod founded. to rest upon him. The folly of trusting in Egypt, and forsaking of God. Before CHRIST about 713. them. yesterday. shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight 33. — Tophet is ordained of old; &c.] See note at Ver. 3. Their slain also shall be cast out, &c.] The Prophet, in the description of this terrible judgment, begins with the common circumstances which attend the slaughter made by a victorious enemy; ver. 4, he rises in tone, and, borrowing his images from original chaos, (as is usual in describing the overthrow of kingdoms, see notes on chap. xiii. 10. 13.) goes on to repre- with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. 18. Thine heart shall meditate terror, &c.] Shall reflect on the past terrour, and every one shall be ready to exclaim in a triumphant manner, Where is the scribe or muster-master? where is the collector of the taxes? where the commander of the enemy, to survey the fortifications of the city, and take an account of the height, strength, and situation of the walls and towers? W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 19. — a people of deeper speech than thou canst perceive: The Hebrew expresses a foreign language, by a "deep lip" or "speech;" our translators render it, "a strange speech," Ezek. iii. 5, 6. W. Lowth. 22. For the Lord is our judge, &c.] We must observe that in this verse, as in many other places of the Old Testament, the name of the Lord thrice repeated has been usually thought to refer to the mystery of the blessed Trinity. Vstringa. This passage is parallel to the form of blessing given Numb. vi. 24—26. Bp. Kidder. See notes on that place. 23. Thy tacklings are loosed; &c.] Having compared the Assyrian army to a naval force, ver. 21, the Prophet persists in that metaphor, and describes them as in a shipwrecked condition, the spoil of the wreck to be divided among the citizens of Jerusalem, even the sick and diseased of them throwing aside their infirmities, and recovering strength enough to hasten to the general plunder. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 24. — the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.] The last sentence is parallel to the former, and expresses the same sense in other words: sickness being considered as a visitation from God, and punishment for sin, the forgiveness of sin is equivalent to the removal of a disease. We find them thus coupled, Ps. cii. 3; and our blessed Saviour reasons with the Jews on the same principle, Mark ii. 9. Bp. Lowth. The fulfilment of this prophecy appears from the history of the great event given by the Prophet: it is plain that Hezekiah, by his treaty with Sennacherib, had stripped himself of his whole treasure, 2 Kings xviii. 15, 16: his "exceeding much riches," afterwards, 2 Chron. xxxii. 27, cannot be otherwise accounted for, than by the prodigious spoil that was taken on the destruction of the Assyrian army. Bp. Lowth. Chap. XXXIV. This chapter and the next make one distinct prophecy; an entire, regular, and beautiful T 2 The judgments wherewith God revengeth his church. Before CHRIST about 713. fairness thereof. COME near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and † all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 5. — my sword shall be bathed] In the blood of these people: the same word is rendered in Jer. xvi. 10, "shall be made drunk." This is said to be done "in heaven," because it was there decreed to be done. Poole, Bp. Hall. 6. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, &c.] God shall take full vengeance on his enemies; his sword shall be, as it were, fed with the blood of his great and noted adversaries: this slaughter of his shall be like to that of an universal sacrifice, which shall be killed on the altar of the land of Edom, and all the regions of his proud opposites. Bp. Hall. — a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.] Considering the original sense of these words, they may fitly be applied to a place of slaughter: "Edom" signifying red, as blood is; and "Bozrah," a vintage; which in the prophetic idiom often denotes God's vengeance on the wicked. See particularly chap. lxiii. 3, in which chapter these words are again joined together. W. Lowth. Ezekiel has manifestly imitated this passage of Isaiah, chap. xxxix. 17, 18. The sublime author of the Revelation (chap. xix. 17, 18,) has taken this image from Ezekiel rather than Isaiah. Bp. Lowth. The destruction of Edom is foretold in a strain not less hyperboleat than this of Isaiah by Jeremiah, chap. xlix. 7-22; by Ezekiel, chap. xxxv. and xxv. 12; and by Obadiah. Jos. Mede. 11. But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; &c.] Beside the passages referred to in the margin, with this verse and with ver. 13-15, compare chap. xiii. 21; xiv. 23. W. Lowth. Before CHRIST about 713. Or. chinoceros. Or. drunken. c Chap. 63. 4. d Rev. 18. 18. &19. 3. e Zeph. 2. 14. Rev. 18. 2. Or. pelican. The desolation of her enemies. CHAP. XXXIV, XXXV. The joyful state of Christ's kingdom. Before CHRIST about 713. and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. Ver. 29. — therefore will I put my hook in thy nose.] Just as at this day they put a ring into the nose of the bear, the buffalo, and other wild beasts, to lead them, and to govern them when they are unruly. Bp. Lowth. Chap. XXXVIII. See the notes on 2 Kings xx. 1—11. Ver. 3. And said, Remember now, O Lord, &c.] See on ver. 17, the note from Abp. Secker; and on 1 Kings xv. 14, the note from Jos. Mede. — thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.] Hezekiah's prayer hath no confession of sin, but his thanksgiving afterwards hath a very strong one: "Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." And therefore, when he pleaded at first, "Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart, and done that which is good in thy sight," ver. 3, we should understand him to mean, that as a king he had been zealous for God's true religion, to which consequently his life was of importance; not that as a man he had not deserved death, which all men have. Abp. Secker. Ver. 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.] The Prophet declares at once God's command to his messengers, (his Prophets, as the Chaldee rightly explains it,) to comfort his people in captivity, to impart to them the joyful tidings, that their punishment has satisfied the Divine justice, and the time of reconciliation and favour is at hand. Bp. Lowth. 5. — I have heard thy prayer.] From these words, compared with the first verse, it appears, that this sickness would have put an end to Hezekiah's life, if he had not earnestly prayed to God to spare him; and that God was moved by his prayers to reverse the sentence of land of † Armenia: and Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead. # CHAP. XXXVIII. 9. The writing of Hezekiah] Here the book of Kings deserts us, the song of Hezekiah not being inserted in it. Bp. Lowth. Before CHRIST 710. Jewell. a 2 Kings 20. 1. 11. I said, I shall not see the Lord, &c.] That is, I shall no more have the comfortable fruition of God's presence in his house amongst the men that live here on earth. Bp. Hall. 12. — as a shepherd's tent: Shepherds do not pitch their tents long in one place, but remove for the convenience of pasture. W. Lowth. — I have cut off like a weaver my life.] My sins are the cause that the thread of my life is cut off, like the thread of a weaver. W. Lowth. — from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.] I concluded I should die before night. Compare Job iv. 20. W. Lowth. "In the course of the day thou wilt finish my web." Bp. Lowth. 13. I reckoned till morning, &c.] When night came, I reckoned I should die before the next morning, my pains were so great, as if the whole frame of my body were ready to be dissolved. W. Lowth. 14. — did I chatter: The Hebrew word means to chirp or peep in a plaintive tone, like some birds. Parkhurst. 15. What shall I say? &c.] The suddenness of my deliverance surprises me, so that I want words to express my thankfulness: all I can say is, that no sooner did God promise to restore my health, but I immediately found the effects of his goodness. The sense of the latter part of the verse, "I shall go softly" &c. is more intelligible in our old translation, which renders the words thus, "I will, so long as I live, remember this bitterness of my life;" that is, The remembrance of the misery I endured shall continually excite me to renew my thankfulness for this thy mercy. W. Lowth. 16. O Lord, by these things men live, &c.] O Lord, by those words and powerful acts, that proceed from Thee, is the life of man both had and maintained: and 20. The Lord was ready to save me: &c.] The case of Hezekiah, a person of the highest rank, in the prime of life, and the full tide of prosperity, seized with a mortal disease, ought strongly to remind the sequest of us all, how uncertain our condition is here on earth. By the goodness of God, a Prophet was sent to him, to admonish him of the preparation that his state required; and the same goodness hath provided, that we shall all be frequently admonished of the same thing by the ministers of his word. The admonition given him was the means of prolonging his days in peace and comfort; and those given us, if received in a right manner, may, both naturally and providentially, contribute to procure us longer and happier lives in this world; and will certainly lead us to a life of eternal happiness in the next. Abp. Secker. Chap. XXXIX. See the notes on 2 Kings xx. 12— Or, on my peace came great bitterness. The Babylonian captivity foretold. CHAP. XXXIX, XL. The promulgation of the Gospel. Before CHRIST about 712. a 2 Kings 20. 12, &c. thereof, foretelleth the Babylonian captivity. AT that time Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. — our God.] This being spoken of HIM, of whom John the Baptist was to be the forerunner; and the application having been afterwards expressly made by the Baptist to our Lord Jesus; (see John i. 23;) it is evident that He is the person to whom the Prophet attributes the incommunicable name of Jehovah, and styles Him "our God." Wogan. 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.] Here it is most evident, that the Prince, whose way is to be prepared, can be no other than the Messiah, that great Prince or Potentate who is the general subject of all the Prophets: "the glory of the Lord" foretold in future times to be manifested to the Gentiles, or to "all flesh," can point out nothing but his glorious days, which are elsewhere drawn out under the like stupendous characters. Bp. Lowth, Dr. Berriman. The Prophet then introduces a voice, commanding him to make a solemn proclamation, ver. 6—8. The import of it is, that the people, the flesh, is of a vain temporary nature; that all its glory fadeth, and is soon gone: but that the word of the Lord endureth for ever. What is this, but a plain opposition of the flesh to the spirit; of the carnal Israel to the spiritual; of the temporary Mosaick economy to the eternal Christian dismountain; || O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 2.—she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.] Double in proportion to God's usual severity in punishing men's sins; see Jer. xvi. 18; Dan. ix. 12: or some take the word "sins" for the punishments due to sin, (as it is often used,) and understand this as a promise of ample recompense for the effects of past displeasure, on the reconciliation of God to his returning people. Compare chap. lxi. 7; Job xlii. 10. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 3. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, &c.] "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness," the Baptist applies to himself; as describing a preacher faithfully delivering the word of God in a desert and uncultivated place, The preaching of John Baptist. The preaching of the apostles. Before CHRIST about 712. Or, a straight place. Or, a plain place. b Job 14. 2. Ps. 102. 11. S. 102. 15. Jam. 1. 10. 9. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, &c.] The marginal reading gives a much better sense; compare also chap. xli. 27; lii. 7. W. Lowth. The Hebrew participle, rendered "thou that tellest," is in the feminine gender; and the office of announcing and celebrating such glad tidings, as are here spoken of, belonged peculiarly to women; Exod. xv. 20, 21; Judges xi. 34; 1 Sam. xviii. 6, 7. Bp. Lowth. See note at Ps. lviii. 11. 10, 11. Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, &c.] This is to be understood of Christ. The words, "his reward is with him," compared with Rev. xvii. 12; and "he shall feed his flock like a shepherd," compared with the passage of St. John referred to in the margin, are sufficient indications of the Person intended. Dr. Waterland. With ver. 10, we may compare also Matt. xvi. 27. The expressions in ver. 11, eminently belong to Christ, and represent the gentleness He shall use to the weak ones of his flock, giving them instruction as they are able to bear it, and taking all possible care to bring back stragglers to his fold: as appears by the many allusions in the New Testament to this and similar passages in the Old. W. Lowth. 12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, &c.] Here begins a lofty description of God's Almighty power, shewing that He is great above all his works, and able to do beyond what we can think or conceive; the design of it is, to persuade the people to put their whole trust in Him, to rest assured that He is able to perform who promises, and withal to arm them Before CHRIST about 712. Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem. Or, against the strong. of Chap. 62. Or, reconquered for his work. of Ezek. 31. John 10. 11. Or, that give suck. Heb. a fierce. Ver. 1. — O islands;] See notes on chap. xi. 11; xlii. 4. — let the people renew their strength.] This seems to be a charge to the nations to make use of their utmost strength in defending their idolatry in the proposed debate. Vitringa. 19. The workman melteth a graven image, &c.] The passage may be translated thus: "The workman overspreads the graven image," (of wood namely, mentioned in the next verse,) "even the refiner, or goldsmith, spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth sheets of silver." of the LORD, or being † his counsellor hath taught him? 22. — stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain.] See note on Gen. i. 6. 31. — as cagles.] See note at Ps. ciii. 5. Chap. XLI. In this and the following chapters, God is introduced as pleading his own cause against the Before CHRIST about 712. Ver. 1. — he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.] Meaning here, the law to be published by the Messiah; the institution of the Gospel. Bp. Lowth. 2. — the righteous man from the east.] Some explain this of Abraham; others of Cyrus. The character of "the righteous man" (or "righteousness," as some give it) agrees best with Abraham; he was called out of the East, and his posterity (who may fairly be taken into the account) were introduced into Canaan, and established there, on purpose to stand as a barrier against idolatry: Cyrus, though not properly a worshipper of images, had nothing in his character to cause such an alarm among idolaters, as is mentioned ver. 5—7; and the Prophet, having just touched upon that circumstance, resumes Abraham and the Israelites, ver. 8. Bp. Lowth. On the other side it may be said, that Cyrus did overthrow the Babylonians, the great supporters of idolatry, their confederates, and many nations; did in consequence liberate the people of God, and re- 2, 3. He shall not cry, &c.] See note on Matt. xii. 18. He was (as all interpreters explain the proverbial expressions here used) not to employ the least degree of force or violence in the propagation of the new law, till it finally prevailed against all opposition. Accordingly, by the mildness and piety of the followers of Christ, by the secret influence of a Divine blessing attending on their feeble efforts, the doctrine of the cross insensibly gained ground, spread itself far and wide, and in the end became victorious over all the rage and power and sophistry of an unbelieving world. Bp. Hurd. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break, &c.] Those that are humble and contrite shall He rather relieve and comfort, than add any thing to their sorrow and affliction: and those that have received but the weakest beginnings of grace shall have no discouragement from Him, but shall be rather cheered up by Him: yet, so shall He be gracious to the pentenity dejected, that He shall not bear with the obstinate sinner; but shall give severe judgment upon him according to the justice of his demerits. Bp. Hall. 4. — I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.] That is, "I Jehovah;" who by the import of my name am the "first," or original of all other beings, and shall be with the "last," that is, am "everlasting." Dr. Wells. Comparing the passages of our Prophet referred to in the margin, we find that the phrase, "first and last," expresses the perless majesty of God, who is He the "true God;" his eternity, supreme power, dignity, and glory, and his creation and government of all things; in those of St. John, from the Revelation, the same Divine title is given to the Son. Dr. Waterland. 4. — the isles shall wait for his law.] Those parts of the world, to which men are wont to travel by sea from in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. 5. — he that created the heavens, &c.] See chap. xl. 12, and notes there. 5, 6. — I will bring thy seed from the east, &c.] See note on chap. xi. 11. 6. 7. They helped every one his neighbour; &c.] In these verses, the several artificers concerned in idol-making are represented as assisting one another, to carry on their common interest; (see Acts xix. 25;) the passage may fitly be applied to the heathen powers combining together to support their idolatry, and suppress the Christian religion. W. Lowth. 6. — give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;] God expressly declares here, that the Messiah should mediate a covenant between God and the people; and that the fruit of this covenant should extend to the Gentiles; who should enjoy the same privileges with the Jews, and be incorporated with them, chap. xlix. 8, 9; lv. 3, 4; lxi. 8, 9. The extension of the Messiah's kingdom over the whole earth is mentioned by Isaiah so often, and in so emphatical a manner, that it seems to be the main drift of all his writings. Dean Alix. Indeed the general object of prophecy is the uniting of all nations in the faith of Christ, and the conversion of the Gentiles makes a standing part of all the prophecies of the Saviour of mankind. Bp. Horsley. 7. To open the blind eyes, &c.] The Prophet seems here to set forth the spiritual redemption, under images borrowed from the temporal deliverance. Bp. Lowth. 8. I am the Lord: that is my name:] The import of the name Jehovah (rendered by our translators "the Lord;" see note on Exod. iii. 15,) is, according to the best articles, ancient and modern, eternal, immutable, necessary existence. Dr. Waterland. — my glory will I not give to another,] We read, Ps. lxxxiv. 11, that "the Lord will give grace and glory;" 2 Cor. iv. 17, "an exceeding and eternal weight of glory;" but that divine, infinite, incomprehensible glory, that belongeth to Him, as Supreme King of kings, as his peculiar prerogative, of that He is most jealous; in that will brook no sharer. Since therefore our chief aim ought to be, that in every thing God may have "the glory" due to his name; we must beware, not only that we give not the glory of religious worship to image, saint, or other creature, (as it follows, "neither my praise to graven images,") but also that we do not by flattery or obsequiousness give to mortal man any part of that honour which is due to the infinite An exhortation to praise God. CHAP. XLII, XLIII. He reprove the people of incredulity. 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes.] In ver. 10, the Jews are appealed to as witnesses for God; this verse is to be understood of the Gentiles. See Rom. i. 20. Bp. Lowth. 9. — from the ends of the earth.] This probably refers particularly to Egypt and Chaldea; from the latter, the Jews were to be redeemed as they had been from the former; from thence likewise Abraham was originally taken. W. Lowth. 9. Behold, the former things are come to pass.] The Prophet seems here to exult and say, The prophecies, which I have delivered to you concerning your redemption from the Babylonian bondage, will soon be so exactly completed, that I regard them as things past; and therefore new things do I declare; that is, hence I claim your belief of other prophecies, concerning the great redemption, to take place hereafter; though there be no appearance as yet of any causes tending to produce it; for "before they spring forth I tell you of them." Bp. Hurd. 11. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice. The most uncultivated countries, and the most rude and uncivilized people, shall confess and celebrate with thanksgiving the blessing of the knowledge of God graciously imparted to them. The desert and the rocky country may particularly point here to Arabia Deserts and Arabia Petrea: Kedar was a clan of Arabs; (see note on chap. xxi. 13;) some of these dwelt for the most part in tents; others inhabited or frequented cities or villages: there are others, who sometimes live in deserts and sometimes in cities. Bp. Lowth. Vol. II. 19. This verse may more correctly stand thus, "Who is blind, but my servant? and deaf, as he to whom I have sent my messengers? Who is blind, as he who is perfectly instructed; and deaf, as the servant of the Lord?" Bp. Lowth. By the "servant" and "messengers" here are meant the Jewish people and Prophets. W. Lowth. 12. — when there was no strange god among you:] Or rather, "and not any strange god among you;" that is, not any false or heathen god that has at any time been worshipped among you, but I have shewn events afore-hand, &c. Dr. Wells. 14. — the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. "Exulting in their ships." Babylon was very advantageously situated, both in respect to commerce, and as a naval power. It was open to the Persian gulf by the Euphrates, which was navigable by large vessels; and being joined to the Tigris above Babylon, by the canal called Naharmalcha, or the Royal river, supplied the city with the produce of the whole country to the north of it, as far as the Euxine and Caspian seas. Bp. Lowth. See note on chap. xiv. 23. 14. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel.] Or rather, "few men," as the word signifies in the Before CHRIST about 712. b Deut. 7. 6. &10. 15. &14. 2. Ps. 138. 4. chap. 43. 1. &44. 1. c 2 Chron. 20. 7. James 2. 23. d Exod. 23. 22. chap. 60. 12. Zech. 12. 3. Or, few men. his promises, and the vanity of idols. Before CHRIST about 712. no. 4th. 15. — I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth.] See note on chap. xxviii. 27, 28. Under the familiar image of a threshing-floor, the Prophet here represents the ruin and dispersion of the wicked, the enemies of Israel. With the Jewish people, (and in simple times elsewhere,) the arts of husbandry formed the chief occupation of all, and even the highest did not disdain them; accordingly, we read in Scripture of kings and other great men being thus employed, and find the poets taking their images from the same quarter. Bp. Lowth. 16. Thou shalt fan them.] See note on chap. xxx. 28. 17. When the poor and needy seek water, &c.] To give water in the wilderness, in allusion to the miraculous supply during the passage of the Israelites through the wilderness to the Holy Land, is the emblem of unexpected relief in distress. Bp. Hurd. This and similar passages imply the large supplies of grace under the Gospel. W. Lowth. 19. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, &c.] See Baruch v. 8; (W. Lowth;) and notes on chap. ii. 3; lv. 13. 20. The beast of the field shall honour me, &c.] We may apply this to the Gentiles, fitly compared in their 21. The Lord is well pleased &c.] This verse might be translated more plainly thus, "The Lord took delight in this people for his righteousness' sake, He hath given them an excellent law, and thereby made them honourable." W. Lowth. The Prophet seems to refer, in the first instance, to the Mosaick Law, which God had given with much splendour and solemnity, and intended as the great honour and ornament of his people; and to the care and kindness He had constantly shewn them, out of regard to the promises made to their fathers, notwithstanding their constant disobedience; and also to the Law, which was to be given by the Messiah, that future mark of God's exceeding favour, which He was well aware the Jews would treat in the same manner as they had all the former, ver. 22, &c. Vitringa. U God comforteth the church. He foretelleth the fall of Babylon. Before CHRIST about 712. for witness of his omnipotency. 14 He foretelleth them the destruction of Babylon, 15 and his wonderful deliverance of his people. 22 He reproveeth the people as inexcusable. BUT now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 25. I have raised up one from the north, &c.] Cyrus is represented here as coming from the "north," and from the "east:" he was born of two different people, the Persians by his father, the Medes by his mother, and therefore called by the heathen oracle, a mule. Now Persia lay to the east of Babylon; Media northward; and Cyrus's army (of which the Medes made a considerable part) is described, Jer. l. 9. 41, as coming out of the north. For his profession of belief in the great "God of heaven and earth," see Ezra i. 2. Dean Prideaux, W. Lowth. 27. The first shall say to Zion, &c.] This verse is rather obscurely put; our translators have supplied "shall say;" properly the verb gice belongs to both parts, and the same may be more clearly expressed thus, "I first give the word to Zion," (that is, give notice by my Prophets of these events, saying,) "Behold, behold them:" (they are at hand!) "and I give to Jerusalem a messenger of glad tidings." Bp. Lowth. The office of Christ. God's promise unto him. Before CHRIST about 713. # CHAP. XLII. thee from the womb.] He speaks of the Jewish people as of a single person; and as God hath sometimes designed certain persons for particular offices from their birth and conception, (see chap. xlix. 1. 5; Jer. i. 5.) so He set apart the posterity of Abraham to be his people from the very original of the family. W. Lowth. 28. Therefore I have profaned &c.] I have suffered the Babylonians to profane my sanctuary, to abuse the chief priests, and pollute whatsoever is sacred. And have made my people a proverb of execration and reproach to all the neighbouring nations. W. Lowth. The state of Israel and Judah in Isaiah's time was very corrupt with respect to religion and virtue; on which account he denounces God's judgments, which were ready to fall on them for their sins, and should be inflicted by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and other hostile nations round them. And because some of his expressions might be interpreted as if all the twelve tribes were to be utterly cast away, therefore he frequently intersperses consolations, as in this chapter, to assure the people, that if they were duly corrected and reformed by their captivity, God would bring them out of it, and raise them up again to be his Church and people. As God thus promised his people a restoration from their captivity, upon their true repentance and return to their duty; so will He rescue us all from the — Is there not a lie] That is, a lying vanity "in my right hand?" This was a just appeal to common sense against the abominable stupidity of worshipping idols, which, when wrought up to their highest perfection, can but resemble some great man, but can never be endued with the sense of the poorest idiot, or even of the vilest brute: how much less can any thing of Divine power or knowledge be ascribed to them? The Pagans of old endeavoured to defend their worship of images by saying, that they did not terminate their worship in them, but only used them as a medium to convey their devotions to a Divine invisible being. And some idolatrous Christians have used the same argument for the same purpose. But God, who best knows the nature of religious worship, charges these devotees with idolizing the figures before which they prostrate themselves, not only in this chapter, but in various other places of his holy word. Reading. 2.—the gates of brass.] In every side of the great square wall which encompassed Babylon were twenty-five gates, one hundred in all, of solid brass; those which led to the river, and those which enclosed the God calleth Cyrus for his church's sake. He asserteth his own omnipotency. Before CHRIST about 712. a Deut. 4. 35. 29. &32. 39. chap. 44. 3. 3. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, &c.] The waters here spoken of, according to the ordinary style of the Prophets, are the graces of God's Spirit. Dean Albs. See notes on chap. xxx. 25; xxxv. 6, 7. The plentiful effusion of the Divine Spirit here predicted, Jews and Christians have ever understood to refer to the days of the Messiah. These predictions were then abundantly fulfilled; and we have moreover from our Lord and his Apostles express and clear promises of the communication of the same Spirit to enhighten and assist the minds of Christians in every succeeding age. Bp. Bradford. 3. — I will give thee the treasures of darkness, &c.] The riches which Cyrus found in his conquests amounted to a prodigious value: those parts of Asia abounded in wealth and luxury; Babylon had been heaping up treasures for many years, and the riches of Cressus king of Lydia, whom Cyrus conquered and took prisoner, are in a manner become proverbial. Bp. Newton. 4, 5. — though thou hast not known me.] That is, Shalt be bred in ignorance of me; and remain so, till I am made known to thee by my Prophet Daniel. Dr. Wells. See note at Ezra 1. 1. 5. One shall say, I am the Lord's; &c.] By all the expressions in ver. 5, is denoted the accession of the Gentiles, the increase of the Church. Dr. Wells. U 2 The vanity of idols, and folly of idol makers. Before CHRIST about 712. name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel. c Chap. 41. 4. &48. 12. Rev. 1. 8. 17. &22. 13. 6. Thus saith the Lord,—I am the first, &c.] In the Revelation Jesus Christ says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last," Rev. xxii. 13. These titles of "the first" and "the last" are confined in the Prophet to Him alone, "besides whom there is no God." But Jesus hath assumed these titles to Himself: therefore Jesus is that God, besides whom there is no other. Jones of Nayland. 7. I form the light, and create darkness: &c.] This seems to be spoken in reference to the Persian sect of the Magians, who held the Being of two first causes, Light, or the good god, who was the author of all good, and Darkness, or the evil god, the author of all evil; and that of the mixture of these two, as they were in a continual struggle with each other, all things were made. Dean Prideaux. 8.—have not I told thee from that time.] Rather, "from the beginning," or, "of old." W. Lowth. See note on chap. xvi. 13. 8. Drop down, ye heavens, &c.] These expressions, taken from the dew and the rain descending from heaven, and making the earth fruitful, and some nearly of the same kind, used Ps. Ixxxv. 9—13, may perhaps be primarily understood to set forth, in a splendid manner, the happy state of God's people, restored to their country, and flourishing in peace and plenty, in piety and virtue; but they must undoubtedly have a further reference to the blessings of the great redemption by the Messiah. Bp. Lowth. In the prophetic writings the expressions often run so high, as to denote events and characters too gloriously great for the thing or person next at hand; which is esteemed a certain indication of their having in prospect some other more remote, in which they are to find their just completion. Dean Stanhope. 9.—their delectable things] Their images, upon which they laid out all the cost they could. Compare Dan. xi. 38. W. Lowth. 9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! &c.] The Prophet warns the people not to be impatient, but to wait God's time for accomplishing their redemption: men may contend with their equals, with those who are made of the same clay with themselves, but should not presume to enquire of God the reasons of his proceedings, or find fault with his works of creation or providence, as if not wisely contrived or well-timed. W. Lowth. 10.—molten a graven image] See the note on chap. xl. 19. 11. — Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, &c.] These words import, that although God be not obliged to render an account of his proceedings to his creatures, He was graciously pleased, through his Prophets, to resolve any questions proposed concerning his people's future destiny. W. Lowth. An answer to that effect seems to be contained in the following verses, and the rest of the chapter generally; ver. 13, 14, declaring to God's people, not only that they shall be liberated from captivity, but that great happiness awaits them; and ver. 20. 22, 23, pointing to the universal call of the Gentiles, and second advent of Christ, as ver. 23, is applied by St. Paul in the passages referred to in the margin. Jos. Mide. 13. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: This is to be immediately understood of Cyrus, whom God raised up to be the instrument of executing his justice upon the Babylonians, and fulfilling his mercy to the Jews; but many passages, manifestly relating to the deliverance of the Jewish nation effected by Cyrus, are with good reason and upon undoubted authority to be understood of the redemption wrought for mankind by Christ. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth. 14. — The labour of Egypt, &c.] All we meet with in this verse must be understood to have respect to religion; predicting that in aftertimes proselytes of various nations should submit themselves to the Church of 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god.] The his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. 18.—for he hath shut their eyes.] The old Translation expresses the sense better, "their eyes are stopped." W. Lowth. 20. He feedeth on ashes: He feedeth on that which affordeth no nourishment. A proverbial expression for using ineffectual means, and bestowing labour to no purpose. In the same sense Hosea says, "Ephraim feedeth on wind," chap. xii. 1. Bp. Lowth. Before CHRIST about 712. courage. dawled. to his heart. which comes of a tree? God exhorteth Israel to praise him CHAP. XLIV, XLV. for his redemption and omnipotency. Before CHRIST about 712. cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? 23. Sing, O ye heavens; &c.] The expressions here, and in parallel passages, denote the joy to be so great and universal, that even the inanimate parts of the creation are said to be affected with it, and are exhorted to bear a part in the general chorus. W. Lowth. 24. — I am the Lord—alone;—by myself:] We are not to suppose that this is said to the exclusion of any Person of the blessed Trinity, but only in opposition to creatures or other gods; see chap. ii. 11. 17; xliii. 11. The word God is probably in such places to be understood in a large indefinite sense, comprising the whole Trinity, where the context or other circumstances do not confine the signification and intent to one person only. Dr. Waterland. 27. That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:] By the remarkable manner in which Babylon was taken did the event exactly correspond with this prophecy: Jeremiah also has noted it, chap. l. 38; li. 36. See note on chap. xiv. 23. Bp. Lowth. 28. That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, &c.] Here does Isaiah, near 200 years beforehand, name the very person who should order the enlargement of the Jews: and Jeremiah, chap. xxix. 10, points out the year in which it should happen. Dr. Berriman. Thus God calleth things that are not, that have no existence, as if they were, because He has power to fulfil all his pleasure, and can, whenever He sees fit, produce those things into light, which He suffers to remain unaccomplished for many years after the first prediction. Reading. Chap. XLV. ver. 1.—the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus.] From the custom which obtained among the Jews of separating, by the ceremony of anointing, both persons and things to particular purposes, the person who is constituted and appointed by God (as Cyrus) to some great office or employment, is said to be "the Lord's anointed." Bp. Kidder. — I will loose the loins of kings.] See note on chap. v. 27. — to open before him the two leaved gates:] The gates of Babylon within the city, leading down to the river, were left open when Cyrus's forces entered through the channel in the general disorder occasioned by the festival then celebrated: and the gates of the palace were imprudently opened by the king's orders, to enquire the cause of the tumult without. Bp. Lowth. Chap. XLVI. ver. 1. Bel boweth down,] See Dean Prideaux's note on Gen. x. 9. — Bel—Nebo. Idols worshipped in the East; it has been conjectured that the former meant the sun, the latter the moon. Vitringa. — their idols were upon the beasts, &c.] The images Idols are not comparable to God for power, or present salvation. and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaded; they are a burden to the weary beast. — from the east, the man that executeth my counsel] Compare chap. xli. 25; and xliv. 28; xlv. 13. W. Lowth. — I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass;] If in all succeeding ages, from that time to this, we attend to the great events that have happened in the world, we shall find them all conducted by the same sovereign and almighty hand: especially, if we observe that many of these events were foretold long before they happened, and have since been exactly accomplished, we must conclude these to be visible and incontestable proofs of the eternal power and godhead of Him, who so "declared the end from the beginning;" his power effecting what his wisdom had foreseen and decreed. Hereby we are not only taught the use and benefit of history in general, especially of that contained in the holy Scriptures; but, by comparing events with the prophecies therein contained, we must be convinced with the utmost certainty that the Scriptures are infallibly true; that they are the word of God, and not of man; the word of Him alone, who declares "the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done;" who besides can say, "What I have spoken I will also bring to pass; what I have purposed I will also do." Wogan. Chap. XLVII. ver. 1. — O virgin daughter of Babylon.] b Ps. 23. 11. Prov. 19. 21. &21. 30. Hebr. 6. 17. 3. — house of Israel, which are borne by me &c.] The Prophet contrasts the power of God, and his tender goodness effectually exerted towards his people, with the inability of the false gods of the heathen. He, like an indulgent father, had carried his people, "as a man doth bear his son," Deut. i. 21; had protected them, and delivered them from their distresses: the idols must be themselves carried about by their worshippers, (ver. 7.) removed from place to place with much labour and fatigue, nor can they answer when their votaries cry unto them. Bp. Lowth. They were so far from being able to defend them, that they could not save themselves; and those who were wont to be bowed to and adored, are forced themselves to bow and stoop to the will of the plundering soldier, and are removed as common lumber, ver. 1. 2. Wogan. 8. Remember this, and shew yourselves men.] That is, Consider it well, think of it again and again. Consideration is the proper act of reasonable creatures, to whom it is peculiar to propose to themselves some end and design of their actions; if ye do not this, you do not shew yourselves men, but are rather like brute creatures who have no understanding, and act only by a natural instinct. Abp. Tillotson. 11. Calling a ravenous bird] The eagle; a very proper emblem of Cyrus; as in other respects, so particu- — sit on the ground: there is no throne, &c.] See the notes on chap. iii. 26; iii. 2. 2. Take the milestones, and grind meal.] See notes on Exod. xi. 5; xii. 29. — make bare the leg,—pass over the rivers.] See notes on chap. iii. 17; and xxiii. 7. 3. — I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.] Thou shalt feel the most dreadful effects of my fury; I will take no common and imperfect vengeance; namely, as that of a man. W. Lowth. 5. — I have—given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; God charges the Babylonians, though employed by Himself to chastise his people, with cruelty in regard to them: they exceeded the bounds of justice and humanity in oppressing and destroying them; and though they were really executing the righteous decree of God, yet, as far as it regarded themselves, they were only indulging their own ambition and violence. Zechariah sets this matter in the same light, chap. i. 15: see too Isaiah x. 5—12. Bp. Lowth. See notes on chap. x. 7. 12. 5. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee;] God ordained a succession of Prophets to foretell the most remarkable events that should happen to the Jews, on purpose to prevent their ascribing them to idols. W. Lowth. —my molten image. See the note on chap. xl. 19. 6. Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? An old translation gives the sense of the words more perspicuously; "Thou heardest it (before); and behold it is come to pass: and shall not ye yourselves confess the same?" W. Lowth. 7. And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: &c.] Babylon is described here, and in the words full of insolence and blasphemy that follow, (ver. 8,) as fancying herself exempt from the calamities of fortune, and arrogating that self-sufficiency to herself which belongs to none but God. Mystical Babylon is in the passage of Revelation, referred to in the margin, described as guilty of the same pride and carnal security. W. Lowth. 7. They are created now, and not from the beginning.] What immediately follows should rather be translated, "nor before this day hast thou heard them." Dr. Wells. 8.—yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened.] Rather, "nor was thine ear opened, of old, or from the beginning." W. Lowth. —called a transgressor from the womb.] That is, Thou wast addicted to idolatry from thy very infancy, from the time when thou hvedst in Egypt. Compare this verse and ver. 9. 11, with Ezek. xx. 8, 9. W. Lowth. 9. But these two things shall come to thee—the loss of children, and widowhood:] Babylon, having for many years been mistress of the East, and domineered over the countries round about, could ill brook the subjection her people were fallen under, the removal of the seat of government to Shushan by the Persians, and consequent diminution of the grandeur, pride, and wealth, of the city. In the beginning therefore of Darius Hystaspes' reign, taking advantage of the revolution and troubles of the Persian government, the Babylonians broke out into open rebellion. Unable to cope with his army in the field, they turned their thoughts wholly to support themselves in the siege; and took a most desperate and barbarous resolution, by which the prophecy in this verse was signally fulfilled; for, drawing together all their women and children, to make their provisions last longer, they agreed to cut off all unnecessary mouths, and each man choosing out one of his wives, and a servant for domestic purposes, they strangled all the rest, wives, sisters, daughters, and young children, useless for the wars. Dean Prideaux. — for the multitude of thy sorceries, &c.] By "sorceries" may be either meant those forbidden arts of divination mentioned more particularly ver. 13, or, in general, wicked schemes of worldly policy, by which potent kingdoms are wont to undermine and oppress the weaker. W. Lowth. At Babylon, (see ver. 13,) astrology, divination, and the interpretation of dreams, were fashionable studies with men of rank; they carried about with them pocket astronomical tables, which they consulted, as well as astrologers, on every affair of moment. Richardson. They are told here, that neither by their politicks, sorceries, astronomy, nor any part of their wisdom, shall they foresee or prevent their ruin. Bp. Wilson. The intent of prophecy. Before CHRIST about 712. viewers of the hearings. give knowledge concerning the months. souls. tude of thy counsels. Let now the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. 10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; &c.] Not with such a furious heat as is requisite to melt down silver, for then thou wouldest have been utterly consumed: see Jer. xxx. 11; Ezek. xxii. 20. I have taken this method to purge thee from thy dross, and render thee a chosen people to myself: or the latter me.] The foregoing part of the verse shews that the words are spoken by God; and since it is here affirmed, that the Lord God hath sent Him, we can understand the words of none other but the second Person of the blessed Trinity; who was sent into the world by his Father, and amounted to his prophetic office by the Holy Spirit: see chap. xi. 2; xlii. 1; lxi. 1; Zech. ii. 10, 11. W. Lowth. 21. — they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: &c.] Another instance of allusion to the departure from Egypt, in describing the gracious care and protection, which God vouchsafed to his people in their return from Babylon. Bp. Lowth. &c.] How exactly does this passage suit the Messiah, who is represented as having "a sharp two-edged sword going out of his mouth," Rev. i. 16, who is Himself Christ is sent to the Gentiles with gracious promises. Before CHRIST about 712. Or, my reward. Or, That Israel may be gathered to him, and I may, &c. Or, Art thou lighter than that thou shouldest, &c. Or, circulations, a Chap. 42. 6. Or, to him that is despired in soul. the Word of God; which "word is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," Heb. iv. 12. See note on chap. xi. 4. This mighty agent and instrument of God, "laid long up in store with Him, and sealed up among his treasures," is at last revealed, and produced by his power, and under his protection, to execute his great and holy purposes; He is compared to a polished shaft stored in his quiver for use in his due time. The polished shaft denotes the same efficacious word, which is before represented by the "sharp sword." The doctrine of the Gospel pierced the hearts of its hearers, "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." The metaphor of the sword and the arrow, as applied to powerful speech, is bold, yet just: it has been employed by the most ingenious heathen writers. Bp. Lowth. 3. And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. That by "Israel" in this place is not meant either Jacob or the people that came from him, but the Messiah, will be very evident from comparing what is said afterwards. Bp. Kidder. 22. There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.] All the great promises which God has made to his Church, to his people, to the families or nations of his true worshippers, are evidently to be so all along understood, as that wicked persons, of whatever family, nation, or profession of religion they be, shall be excluded from the benefit of those promises, shall be cut off from God's people; and the good and righteous of all nations, from the east and from the west, from the worship.] See ver. 23; chap. lii. 15; Ps. lxxii. 10, 11. learned, &c.] God the Father hath given to me, the Messiah, his eternal Word and Son, power to express Him fully unto his people; that I should be able to speak comfortably to the weary and distressed souls: He doth not intermit to furnish me continually with his good Spirit. Bp. Hall. &c.] The Prophet, by an elegant figure, addresses himself to God, to stir up his strength, and exert it in behalf of his oppressed people, as He delivered them in former time out of Egyptian bondage. "Rahab" is another name for Egypt; see note at Ps. lxxxvii. 4. The "dragon" stands for Pharaoh. W. Louth. 5. — Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious &c.] If we follow the reading given here in the text of our translation, the sense is, That although Christ's ministry be unsuccessful in gathering the Jews into the Church, yet the preaching of his Apostles should meet with better success among the Gentiles: if we follow the reading of the margin, this verse and the next import, that God hath ordained Christ to be a light to the Gentiles, as well as the glory of his people Israel. W. Lowth. 6.—and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:] See Bp. Louth's note on chap. vii. 20. —I hid not my face from shame and spitting.] Another instance of the utmost contempt and detestation. It was ordered by the law of Moses, as a severe punishment, carrying with it a lasting disgrace, Deut. xxv. 9. In the year 1744, when a rebel prisoner was Before CHRIST about 712. a Numb. 11. 23. ch. 59. 1. b Exod. 14. 21. c Josh. 3. 16. d Matt. 11. 28. e John 14. 31. Hebr. 10. 5. &c. Phil. 2. 8. f Matt. 26. 67. &27. 26. An exhortation CHAP. L. LI. to trust in God. Before CHRIST about 712. g Rom. 8. 32, 33. t Heb. the master of my cause? h John 9. 39. brought before Nadir Shah's general, Mr. Hanway says, "the soldiers were ordered to 'spit in his face,' an indignity of great antiquity in the East." Among the Medes it was highly offensive to spit in any one's presence; and so likewise among the Persians. Concerning modern notions, see the note on Numb. xii. 14. If spitting in a person's presence was such an indignity as in those countries it appears to have been, how much more spitting in his face? See Mark xiv. 65; xv. 19. Bp. Lowth, Parkhurst. This portion of Scripture contains an exact description of the barbarous indignities our blessed Saviour suffered, and looks more like an historical narration of facts already past, than a prediction of events several hundred years before they happened. We can have no doubt that the Prophet here personates the Messiah; nor, if we compare this account with that of our Lord's passion in the New Testament, that Jesus of Nazareth was that Messiah. Dean Stanhope. 7. — to him whom man despiseth, &c.] See notes on chap. liii. 1. 3. — Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall 7. — therefore have I set my face like a flint.] Our blessed Saviour, having fixed his end, pursued it resolutely, upon all occasions bearing up against all temptation and opposition; becoming thereby to us an example of a true sedate courage, and unshaken constancy of mind. Bp. Bradford. Our Lord was an example of holiness and obedience set before us, and his sufferings make the pattern perfect: had He lived in worldly prosperity, the poor and unfortunate would perhaps have upbraided the rich and prosperous for not following the copy, but would have thought their own hard circumstances a sufficient excuse for not attempting it. But what pretence is now left for any mortal? are we more wretched than our Master? are we poor and therefore discontented? Let us look to Him who had not where to lay his head, and yet paid a cheerful obedience to his God! Bp. Sherlock. 8. — In an acceptable time have I heard thee, &c.] These words, which are spoken to Christ in the person of God the Father, are applied by St Paul, in the passage cited in the margin, to his members of the church in Corinth; Thus, says he, when the Gospel is imparted to you, is your time; which ye are concerned not to let slip. The argument drawn from hence is, that when the grace of God is offered, we must be very diligent to lay hold of and improve it; knowing, as we must, that this life is the utmost period of the day of grace; that the continuance of life is most uncertain; and that we cannot be sure that God will extend to us the opportunities of grace so long as life does continue. Dean Stonhope. 8. He is near that justifieth me;] My God is with me, yea. He is in me, and one with me, and I with Him, so that I cannot but be borne out against all that shall stubbornly contend with me. Bp. Hall. # CHAP. LI. 9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; &c.] The "prisoners" here mentioned may be perhaps more particularly applied to the Jews, referring to the "heavy burden" of the Mosaic Law; "they that are in darkness" to the Gentiles, who are described, Ephes. 1. 8, to have been "darkness" itself: both expressions however may well suit either; the phrase seems to be taken from the custom of liberating captives at the inauguration of kings. Those, whom the Prophet has thus represented as captives rescued from bondage and darkness into the glorious light and liberty of the Gospel, he next exhibits under the emblem of a flock, feeding at its leisure in secure pastures, guarded by its shepherd from the ill effects of the heat, and plentifully supplied with all necessary food; an emblem not infrequently used (see chap. xxx. 24, 25; xi. 11.) to shadow out the future situation of the Church of Christ, safe under the protection and watchful care of the great Shepherd of souls, and blessed with the ample opportunities of grace, which God shall afford her; the Apostle St. John (as referred to in the margin) applies the passage in this manner. Vitrinus. Before CHRIST about 712. Or, ratio sp. Chap. 42. 7. Rev. 7. 10. God's love is perpetual to his church. CHAP. XLIX. The ample restoration of the church. Before CHRIST about 712. having compassion. e Chap. 60. 4. 10. — that obeyeth the voice of his servant.] The Septuagint and Syriack have a rendering here, (merely pointing the Hebrew a little differently,) which gives a much more elegant turn and distribution to the sentence; "Who is among you that feareth the Lord? Let him obey the voice of his servant. That walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord," &c. Bp. Lowth. 10.—made bare his holy arm] See note at Ps. lxxiv. 11. 11. Depart ye,—touch no unclean thing: This admonition not to linger in Babylon is given chap. xlvii. 20, and repeated here, and by Jeremiah, chap. 1. 8; li. 6. God's people, and the priests especially, are, with allusion to the legal pollutions contracted by touching any thing unclean, commanded to keep themselves free from all manner of pollution. The mystical sense of the command is extended by St. Paul to all Christians, and the passage applied by St. John to the mystical Babylon: see the margin. W. Louth. 11. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, &c.] The fire of their own kindling, by the light of which they walk with satisfaction, is an image designed to express, in general, human devices, and more worldly policy, exclusive of faith and trust in God; which, though they flatter the authors for a while with pleasing expectations, and some appearance of success, shall in the end turn to their confusion. Bp. Lowth. Chap. LI. ver. 3. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: &c.] When the Prophets have occasion to foretell the marvellous change to be effected in the moral world, under the evangelical dispensation, they frequently borrow their ideas from the history of that garden, in which innocence and felicity once dwelt together, and which they represent as again springing up and blooming in the wilderness: such joy and gladness, such thanksgiving and melody are described as taking place at the restitution of all things, as were at their first creation, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Compare chap. xli. 19; xxxv. 1. Bp. Horne. The first completion of this prophecy was in the restoration of the Jews from their Babylonish captivity: but the promise ultimately and chiefly respects the Christian Church, which in this world sojourns in a wilderness, as the Israelites had done before they entered their promised land. But this wilderness is not without its comforts: the righteous even in this world participate in that peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, which no man nor sufferings can take from them. In the Before CHRIST about 712. Christ by his sanctified arm defendeth his from the fear of man. Before CHRIST about 712. 11. — the redeemed of the Lord shall return, &c.] See notes on chap. xxxv. 10. 12. — and these from the land of Sinim.] We have the same scene here as is laid before us chap. xliii. 5, 6, the restoration of the Jewish nation, and gathering of God's elect from all parts. The Latin Vulgate, instead of "land of Sinim," renders "the south country," which answers to the north before mentioned. W. Lowth. By "from far," may possibly be meant from Babylon; which, being to the east, would answer to the west. Abp. Secker. See chap. xxxix. 3; Jer. v. 15. As our translation gives it, "Sinin" may mean Pelusium in Egypt, called "Sin," Ezek. xxx. 15; or the wilderness of Sin, Exod. xvi. 1; both which lay southward of Judea. W. Lowth. 12. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: &c.] If God be for us, who is he that can harm us? The first incursions of violence and oppression may surprise; but the longest continuance of it ought not to dishearten or deject: the infirmity of our flesh may excuse all sudden fears, but a continued and incessant fear (ver. 13.) Isaiah 12. For ye shall not go out with haste, &c.] Your fathers were thrust out of Egypt in haste, Exod. xii. 33; but now ye shall have sufficient notice, so as to purify and prepare yourselves; and God shall be your guide and defence, like the pillar of the cloud, Exod. xiv. 19, 20. W. Louth. 13. The subject of Isaiah's prophecy, from the fortieth chapter inclusive, has hitherto been in general, the deliverance of the people of God. This includes in it three distinct parts; the deliverance of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon; the deliverance of the Gentiles from their miserable state of ignorance and idolatry; the deliverance of mankind from the captivity of sin and death. These subjects, however, have a close connexion with one another; Isaiah has handled them as a Prophet and a poet: he has allegorized the former, and under the image of it has shadowed out the two latter; he has thrown them all together, has mixed one with another, has passed from this to that with rapid transitions, and has painted the whole with the strongest and boldest imagery. Hitherto they have been handled interchangeably and alternately: Babylon has been kept pretty much in sight; but here it is at once dropped, and hardly ever comes into sight again; the Prophet's views are almost wholly engrossed by the superior part of his subject. Bp. Louth 13. Sing, O heavens; &c.] See note on chap. xliv. 23. 13. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently.] Or, "shall prosper," as the margin reads, more agreeably to what follows. W. Louth. The state of Christ's exaltation is first mentioned here; but the next words show that his suffering state was to precede in order of time, and the other to follow as the remonpence and reward of his abasement, ver. 14, 15. Dr. Beirman. The solemn administration of Christ's kingly office could not take place, till the prophetick and priestly were discharged: the one by teaching his people, and raising their affections and desires by the clearest revelation of happiness in a future state; the other, by making intercession for them, by the atonement of bloody sacrifice, the sacrifice of Himself. This is plainly told us in the ensuing chapter, the twentysecond Psalm, and other prophecies of the Old Testament which St. Paul does in effect but expound in Heb. ii. 10; x. 12, 13; Phil. ii. 7—11. Dean Stanhage. How gracious was it in God to forewarn the world by the spirit of prophecy of the mean appearance of their Redeemer; that their faith might be armed against the reproach and contempt which attended his poverty, and the great scandal of his cross! In human reckoning, a mean condition bespeaks a mean man; but here the case was otherwise; for when God had foretold the mean appearance of his Son, his poverty became a proof of his authority, and the lowness of his condition shewed the excellency of his person. Bp. Sherlock. 14. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed.] Will quickly be delivered. Bp. Wilson. Rather render, "He hasteneth (marcheth on with speed) who cometh to set free the captive;" that is, Cyrus, if understood of the temporal redemption from Babylon; in the spiritual sense, the Messiah. Bp. Louth. The connexion of the next verse with this will better appear if we render there, "For I am the Lord thy God," &c. W. Louth. 15. So shall he sprinkle many nations:] He shall purify whole nations by his blood, and present them holy to God; the expression alludes to the legal sprink- 16. — I here graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.] An allusion to some practice, common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands or arms by punctures on the skin, with some sort of representation of the city or temple, to shew their zeal and affection for it. The pilgrims at the Holy Sepulchre, as Maundrell tells us, get themselves marked in this manner, with what they call ensigns of Jerusalem; and this art is practised by travelling Jews all over the world at this day. Bp. Lowth. See note on chap. xliv. 5. 16. — I have put my words in thy mouth, &c.] I have made thee my oracle. This may be understood in a lower sense of Isaiah, but is chiefly meant of Christ. Compare chap. lix. 21. and the passage referred to in the margin. W. Louth. See notes at those places. "Planting" or "stretching out the heavens," as we read at ver. 13, (Bp. Louth.) "and laying the foundations of the earth," are expressions to be understood of God's intention of building and making Israel into a Before CHRIST about 718. e Exod. 14. 21. f Chap. 35. 10. g Ps. 118. 6. h Chap. 40. 6. i Pet. 1. 24. j Or, made himself ready. l Jer. 31. 35. k Chap. 49. 2, 3. Christ persuadeth the church to free themselves from bondage. Before CHRIST about 712. d Nab. 1. 15. Rom. 10. 15. 17. — shall go forth of thee.] Shall become thy offspring, shall proceed, spring, issue from thee, as thy children. The accession of the Gentiles to the Church of God is considered as an addition made to the number of the family and children of Zion; see ver. 21, 22; and chap. lx. 4. Bp. Lowth. As the true religion had long been professed only by the Jews, and when explained to greater perfection, was to be propagated from them through the earth; the conversion of the Gentiles is very deservedly reputed an accession to the and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. 20, 21. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, &c.] The Church is represented as lamenting the loss of her children, and wondering at a new and numerous offspring settled in their room. The greatest part of the Jewish people were to fall by a deplorable apostasy; (see chap. x. 20;) but their defection was to be abundantly supplied by the accession of the Gentiles. Dr. Berriman. 22. — and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.] This custom is practised in the East to a great extent. Dandini, in his voyage to mount Libanus, tells us, that "being on horseback they carry their young children upon their shoulders with great dexterity. These children hold by the head of him who carries them, whether he be on horseback or on foot; and do not hinder him from walking, or doing what he pleases." Fragments to Calmet. 23. — shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, &c.] It is well known that expressions of submission, homage, and reverence, always have been, and are still, carried to a great degree of extravagance in the Eastern countries. The kings of Persia never admitted any one to their presence without exacting this act of adoration, for that was the proper term for it. Bp. Lowth. The whole passage here imports the assistance, submission, deference, and veneration, that the Gentiles Before CHRIST about 712. monothers. princeurs. The powerful deliverance out of captivity. ISAIAH. The cause of the Jews' dereliction. Before CHRIST about 712. captivity of the just. captivity. g Rev. 14. 20. N. 16. 6. I Or, new wine. thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. 24. — thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, &c.] As the Church is represented as Christ's bride, so this conversion, both of Jews and Gentiles, may fitly be represented by the bride's being adorned with all sorts of fine clothing or precious jewels, in order to her marriage; (Rev. xiv. 7, 8;) or entering upon her triumphant state. Dr. Wells. 24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty.] This is an objection urging the seeming impossibility of rescuing the Jews from so powerful an enemy as the Babylonish empire. God answers it in the next verse. W. Louth. 26. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; &c.] Those that are allied to us, by country or kindred, or any other relation, are called "our own flesh," see Judg. ix. 2; 2 Sam. v. 1; Nehem. v. 5. So the phrase here imports, that God will set these enemies of his people one against another, and make them kill and destroy each other. (See note on chap. ix. 20.) Cyrus conquered a great many of the allies of the Babylonians, and made them serviceable in reducing Babylon itself. W. Louth. Chap. L. ver. 1.—Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, &c.] Husbands, through moroseness or levity of temper, often sent bills of divorcement to their wives on slight occasions, as they were permitted to do by the law of Moses, Deut. xxiv. 1. And fathers, being oppressed with debt, often sold their children; which they might do, for a time, till the year of release, Exod. xxi. 7. That this was frequently practised, appears from many passages in Scripture; the persons and liberty of the children too were answerable for the debts of the father; see 2 Kings iv. 1; Matt. xviii. 25. "They pay their debts in the East with their slaves, and in many places with their children," says Sir J. Chardin. Bp. Louth. The covenant which God made with his which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. — kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; &c.] Out of respect or fear of Him Gentile kings shall keep silence; and those kings and nations shall be instructed in such heavenly truths as human reason could never be able to discover; and they, to whom no Prophets were sent, or promise made of a Saviour, shall consider and receive his doctrine. Bp. Chandler, W. Lowth. Chap. LIII. The following chapter is so full a description of our blessed Saviour's sufferings, that it looks more like a history than a prophecy; and might with more reason be suspected to be a copy drawn from his life, than not to be a description of it. But this Scripture was in being long before our Lord was born, and was in the keeping of his enemies; of those who hated and despised Him, and at last put Him to a shameful death; and were at once the preservers and the fulfillers of the prophecy. Bp. Sherlock. It is certain that both ancient and modern Jews interpret it of the Messiah. Dean Allie. The writers of the New Testament apply it to Christ, and the patrons of infidelity will in vain attempt to apply it to any other. Dr. Berriman. It is so undeniable a proof of the truth of Christianity, that the bare reading of it, and comparing it with the Gospel history, has converted some unbelievers, and brought them home to the faith and religion of Jesus Christ. W. Lowth, Wogan. Ver. 1. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Who of the Jews, when Christ comes, shall believe this our report? even of them, before whom "the arm of the Lord," the virtue and power of God, is witnessed in his miracles? (so St. John understands the phrase, in the passage referred to in the margin:) the cause of so great unbelief follows, ver. 2. Bp. Chandler. It was the poverty and humility in which He came to visit us, so contrary to their proud and carnal conceits, that induced them to reject the Saviour, whom they were all along taught by their own Scriptures to expect: for this being the season of his humiliation for our sins, He grew up, as Isaiah here describes Him, small and of no reputation, from a ed with grief: and † we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 3. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, &c.] Many prophecies relating to our Lord regard only particular actions and circumstances of his life: but this points at no single calamity that befell Him, but it is a general description of his condition during his abode on earth. Bp. Sherlock. — we hid as it were our faces from him;] Out of aversion or contempt. W. Lowth. The margin reads, "He hid his face from us:" mourners covered up the lower part of their face and their heads, 2 Sam. xv. 30; Ezek. xxiv. 17. Bps. Lowth and Chandler. 4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.] The sense of these words is what St. Peter expresses, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24; and the Apostle to the Hebrews, "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many," Heb. ix. 28. St. Matthew's meaning, in the passage referred to in the margin, is, that Christ healed diseases in such a manner, that even in that sense also the words of Isaiah were literally verified. Dr. S. Clarke. Surely the griefs He bare, and the sorrows He carried, were not his own, but ours; yet we, not considering for whom He suffered, did esteem Him the outcast of heaven and earth, stricken in judgment from above, smitten of God in his anger, and afflicted by his heavy displeasure. Bp. Horne. 5. — the chastisement of our peace] By which our peace was effected. Bp. Lowth. 6. — hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.] Alluding to the custom, in making atonement, of laying hands on the head of the sacrifice. Bp. Wilson. See this rite at once enjoined and interpreted, in the law of the scapegoat, Levit. xvi. 21, 22. Dean Stanhope. 7. — he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.] The liveliest portraiture of resigned innocence! X 2 e Matt. 8. 17. d Rom. 4. 25. e 1 Pet. 2. 24. f Matt. 26. 63. &27. 12. Mark 14. 61. &15. 5. g Acts 8. 32. The good success of Christ's sufferings. Before CHRIST about 712. Or, He was taken away by distress and judgment, but, &c. the stroke upon him. Or, when his soul shall make an offering. Ver. 1. Sing, O barren, &c.] The Church of God under the Old Testament, confined within the narrow bounds of the Jewish nation, and still more so in respect of true believers, and which sometimes seemed to be deserted of God her husband, is the barren woman that did not bear, and was desolate; she is exhorted to rejoice, and express her joy in the strongest manner, on the reconciliation of her husband, (see ver. 6.) and on the accession of the Gentiles to her family. See chap. xlix. 20, 21. Bp. Lowth. — and it shall be to the Lord for a name, &c.] This change shall be to the everlasting praise of God, and for a memorial of his never-failing goodness to the Church. Bp. Hall. Chap. LVI. ver. 1. Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: &c.] True piety and honesty are the terms indispensably required of every one, Jew as well as Gentile, to give him a claim to enjoy the happiness of the triumphant state of the Church on earth, or the eternal happiness of heaven. Dr. Wells. 2. Enlarge the place of thy tent, &c.] The Prophet announces the conversion of the Gentiles, in words addressed to the Jewish church, as the emblem of the Christian. The allusion here is to the tabernacle, and the image presented is an enlargement of the sacred tent to contain new crowds of worshippers; the stakes are to be driven deep and firm; the cords lengthened and tightened, that the sides of the tent may be able to support the pressure of the multitudes within it: see Gen. ix. 27, where Noah foretells the admission of worshippers of Japhet's stock into the tent of Shem: (Bp. Horsley.) and see chap. xxxiii. 20. W. Lowth. 2. — that keepeth the sabbath] The sabbath was ordained as a sign or token of God's covenant with his people: see Exod. xxxi. 13; Ezek. xx. 12. Accordingly the observation of it was the distinguishing character of a Jew, as a worshipper of the true God, who created heaven and earth, and instituted the sabbath, as a memorial of that creation. W. Lowth. "Tis frequent in Scripture, by one religious duty to denote the whole of religion; and so the "keeping of the sabbath" here may signify all duties relating to God; and, what follows, "keeping his hand from doing any evil," those that refer to our neighbour. Dr. Wells. 3. Neither let the son of the stranger, &c.] Two descriptions of persons are mentioned in this verse, strangers and eunuchs, who, looking to the economy of Salvation without respect of persons. Blind watchmen inveighed against. Before CHRIST about 712. 4.—for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth.] That is, the bondage of Egypt; "thy widowhood," the captivity of Babylon. Abp. Secker. Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. 5.—thy Maker is thine husband;] Makers, Husbands. Bp. Wilson. So it stands in the original; or, "Thy Makers have thee in marriage." See notes at Gen. i. 1; Eccles. xii. 1. The mystery of the blessed Trinity is intimated; and in this place the term is to be understood of the Son in the communion of the Father and Holy Spirit. Vitrigna. —the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.] Jehovah is indeed the God of all the nations of the earth; the universal Father, whose tender mercies are over all his works: but to the Jews for a time He was more peculiarly a God; inasmuch as He chose them to be the depositaries of the true religion, while the rest of mankind were sunk in the ignorance and abomination of idolatry. Bp. Horsley. The time, it is here said, is now coming, when He shall not be called the God of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. Compare Zech. xiv. 9; Rom. iii. 29. W. Lowth. 6.—when thou wast refused.] After thou hast been, as it were, cast off by Him for a time. Dr. Wells. 11.—behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, &c.] This verse and the following may in a qualified sense be applied to the rebuilding of the city and temple after the captivity, but most probably have a farther meaning. They seem to contain general images to express beauty, magnificence, purity, strength, and solidity, agreeably to the ideas of the Eastern nations. See Tob. xiii. 16, 17; and compare Rev. xxi. 18—21. W. Lowth. Bp. Lowth. The eleventh and twelfth verses may be thus paraphrased: O thou, my poor distressed Church, which now seest no cause of joy, or mitigation of thy sorrow, comfort thou thyself with the expectation of what blessings I have laid up for thee: for, how despised soever thou now seemest, I will exceedingly adorn and beautify Before CHRIST about 712. The sure preservation of the Gentiles. The prophet calleth lours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found.] The command here is general, imposed not only upon the Jews or the Gentiles, but upon all mankind. Bp. Beveridge. Here Christ invites us all to a sincere repentance, and to accept of mercy while it is to be obtained. "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." Grace is freely offered to all; all are called upon to come. This is an act of infinite goodness; yet the words, "while he may be found," and "while he is near," carry with them no small terror, as plainly intimating to us, that there is a time when He shall not be found; a day when He shall not be near: "when the wicked shall call upon him, but he will not answer; when they shall seek him early, but they shall not find him," Prov. i. 28. Wogan. See note on chap. xlix. 8. 7. — and make them joyful in my house of prayer.] They who truly love and fear God above all things, find more joy and comfort in his house than any where else: the whole work of the place is delightful to them, the Spirit of God co-operating with them in it, and God never failing to perform his promise here made, to those who come to his house duly prepared, and keep their minds intent upon Him, and the duties there performed. Bp. Beveridge. — shall be called. See note on chap. ix. 6. — an house of prayer for all people.] The temple was designed for other nations as well as the Jews to say their prayers in, at the first dedication by Solomon: (see 1 Kings viii. 41, 42;) though the number of proselytes was not considerable till the times of the second temple: this however, and the sacrifices above mentioned, are chiefly to be understood of the Christian worship, and the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving proper to it. The remark, "that the Prophet uses such expressions, with relation to the Gospel times, as are taken from the usages of his own," is a good rule for explaining the idioms of the prophetic writings. W. Lowth. See notes on chap. xix. 19. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, &c.] My purposes in revealing the Gospel carry in them such marks of goodness and condescension in forgiving sins, (see ver. 7,) and of truth and faithfulness in fulfilling my promises, (see ver. 10, 11,) that they exceed the measures of human proceedings, as far as heaven is high above the earth. W. Lowth. 9. All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, &c.] Here manifestly begins a new section: the Prophet, having in the foregoing chapters comforted the faithful I gather others to him, † beside those that are gathered unto him. 10. His watchmen are blind: &c.] Jerusalem is here represented to the Prophet as trodden under foot, and plundered by the hostile nations round about her. This devastation he here sets forth under a proper metaphor. He represents his people as a flock of sheep: their rulers, both religious and civil, as shepherds, and their dogs set to watch the flock; and their enemies, who watched for their destruction, he resembles to wild beasts ravening after their prey. And seeing how wretchedly the flock was guarded, he cries out in an ecstatic manner, "O all ye beasts of the field, come, come, ye beasts of the forest, and devour." Not that he desired this; but he knew it would be the consequence of what follows; for, says he, "those that should watch our flock are blind." This is a warning to all spiritual watchmen, to discharge their trust faithfully; not to follow their own ways, and pursue their temporal gain, and ease, and safety, above all things; not to be silent when they ought to speak; not to shut their eyes when they should see: for in so doing they will lose their own souls, as well as the souls of those committed to their charge. Let us then beseech the universal Shepherd and Watchman, who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, to inspire all his ministers with a zeal for his glory, that they may constantly speak the 13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, &c.] General poetical images, expressing a great and happy change for the better. The wilderness turned into a paradise; the desert of the Gentiles watered with the heavenly snow and rain, which fail not to have their due effect, and becoming fruitful in piety and righteous- Chap. LVII. ver. 1. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: &c.] The death of good Hezekiah is probably denoted. Dr. Wells. The Prophet complains of the general neglect of people, to consider the loss of good and useful men, as a presage of evil: when God in mercy taketh away such, it should be a warning to us to look for evil to come. Bp. Sanderson. spirit, &c.] It is humility which brings down "the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity," to dwell amongst us, and conduct us through our pilgrimage of life to the lot of our inheritance, to the mount of holiness here, of joy and happiness hereafter. The corruption of nature, and perverse habits of sin, are the "stumbling-blocks" (ver. 14,) in our way; if these be "taken up," and removed by repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall "possess the land, and inherit his holy mountain;" that is, be true members of his Church upon earth, and receive the inheritance in his kingdom of heaven, which was promised us in our baptism. Wogan. 19. I create the fruit of the lips; The sacrifice of praise, saith St Paul, Heb. xiii. 15, "is the fruit of the lips." God creates this fruit of the lips, by giving new subject and cause of thanksgiving by his mercies conferred on those among his people, who acknowledge and bewail their transgressions, and return to Him. The great subject of thanksgiving is peace; reconcilation and pardon offered to them that are nigh, and to them that are afar off; not only to the Jew, but also to the Gentile, as St. Paul more than once applies those terms, Eph. ii. 13. 17; see also Acts ii. 39. Bp. Lowth. 2. He shall enter into peace:] The same sense is expressed at large, Gen. xv. 15, "Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace." Bp. Lowth. These words appear to be an allusion to the future state; what more natural signification have they than that expressed in the Book of Wisdom, chap. iii. 1. 3, "The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God;—they are in peace!" Dr. S. Clarke. Thus is the happiness of heaven frequently described to us in Scripture; and certainly it is no small encouragement towards making us love religion, that it promised to us in the next life a freedom from all the evils and troubles of this. Abp. Tillotson. — they shall rest in their beds, &c.] As death is compared to sleep, so is the grave to a bed. See chap. xiv. 18. W. Lowth. 3. — wherefore have we afflicted our soul.] By fasting and humiliation: a phrase used particularly of the great day of expiation, Lev. xvi. 29; xxiii. 27. W. Lowth. See notes on the former of these places. — in the day of your fast ye find pleasure.] It appears that, instead of producing the right effect of humility and self-denial, their fasting increased their pride, and inflamed, rather than subdued, their irregular lusts and passions. Wogan. Travellers inform us, that in the 5. — under every green tree, &c.] See note on chap. i. 29. — slaying the children in the valleys] Offering them in sacrifice to Moloch; a sin severely prohibited, Lev. xx. 2, &c.; yet much practised in the times of the idolatrous kings of Judah, 2 Kings xxiii. 10; 2 Chron. xxviii. 3. The valley of Hinnon was chiefly noted for this inhuman practice, Jer. vii. 31. W. Lowth. 6. Among the smooth stones &c.] Of the worship of rude stones consecrated, there are many testimonies of the ancients. They are called "smooth stones," as being made smooth by the lapse of the stream. Bp. tain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. 7. Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.] The bed here mentioned may most fitly be understood of such an one as was used at feasts, and was prepared for the entertainment which was made with part of the oblation. W. Lowth. There is at the same time a continued allusion to the practices of an adulteress. 8. Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance:] That is, the image of their tutelary gods, or something dedicated to them; in direct opposition to the law of God, which commanded them to write upon the door posts of their house, and upon their gates, the words of God's law, Deut. vi. 9; xi. 20. If they chose for them such a situation as more private, it was in defiance of a particular curse denounced, Deut. xxvii. 15. Bp. Lowth. 9. — thou wentest to the king with ointment, &c.] See chap. xxx. 6. They rourled the king of Egypt, or of Assyria, as best served their interest. W. Lowth. Hosea reproaches the Israelites for the same practice, chap. xii. 1. It is well known that in all parts of the East whoever visits a great person must carry him a present. Bp. Lowth. See note on 1 Sam. ix. 7. 10. Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; &c.] Thou hast tried all ways to save thyself from the evils that threaten thee: with what pains didst thou court the favour of foreign princes! and to no purpose: yet thou didst not refrain: "thou hast found the life of thine hand," that is, thou hast made a shift by these methods to support thyself for the present, therefore thou hast felt no remorse. W. Lowth, Bp. Wilson. 11. — have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?] That is, And therefore thou fearest me not? Sinners take encouragement to continue in sin, from God's patience and long-suffering. See Ps. 1. 21; Eccles. viii. 11. W. Lowth. Before CHRIST about 6/5. for thou art for thine throne. provided toom. respected the king. God giveth evangelical promises to the penitent. Before CHRIST about 6:8. c Chap. 40. 3. &62. 10. turning away. 20. — the wicked are like the troubled sea, &c.] The wicked are represented here as full of uneasy and disquieting thoughts; they have no real comfort of mind from the pleasures of this world, must necessarily want all effectual support under the many evils and calamities of life, and are troubled perpetually with the reproofs of conscience, and unwelcome thoughts of death. Bp. Pearce. The impenitent and wicked are excluded from all share in the peace mentioned ver. 19, that reconcilement and pardon which is promised to the penitent only. The forty-eighth chapter ends with the same declaration as this: "There is no peace to the wicked." Bp. Lowth. See the note there. Chap. LVIII. ver. 2. Yet they seek me daily.] To "seek" God is the same as to "draw nigh" unto Him in his ordinances. W. Lowth. Isaiah is commanded to shew the Jews especially their hypocrisy in drawing nigh to God with their bodies only. Bp. Wilson. — and exact all your labours.] Meaning, the hardest labours, and most servile works. Bp. Hall. The intention of God, in directing his people to religious fasts, was not barely for their affliction in chastisement for their sins, but is principally intended for their amendment; nor is the design of such a fast any way answered by an outward humiliation, but by an inward reformation; by the heart's living melted down, by true contrition and sincere sorrow for sin, into a right sense of religion; and softened to all the impressions of humanity, good nature, and charity. See ver. 5—7. Dr. Delaney. it cannot save; &c.] This seems to be, as it were, an answer to the cavils of the Jews, calling God's power in their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity: wasting and † destruction are in their paths. web.] Figurative expressions: their villainous contrivances are compared to a cockatrice's eggs, which are both poison in themselves, and when hatched produce a venomous serpent; and to a spider's web, both for the artificial fineness of them, and for the purpose of ensnaring, for which they are intended. He goes on, ver. 6, "Their webs shall not become garments:" that is, though their contrivances are finely wrought, yet they are too thin and weak to be of any real advantage, and their works can neither cover nor defend them. W. Louth. And so do all the devices, which we applaud in ourselves and others as matters of great reach, and contrived with deep policy, resemble, agreeably to this comparison of the Prophet, a spider's web; a thing of great curiosity to the eye, spun of a fine and subtle thread, and in exact proportion, but of nostrength at all. Bp. Sanderson. 4. — ye fast for strife and debate, &c.] Your fasts have the appearance of devotion: but their true design is only to promote parties and contentions, and to oppress the innocent: such was the fast of Ahab, which we read of 1 Kings xxi. 10. W. Lowth. 5. — to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?] For his couch. Bp. Lowth. 7. — hide not thyself from thine own flesh?] From thy kindred and countrymen. W. Lowth. See notes on chap. ix. 20; xlix. 26. Or, from thy fellow men. All men are by the ordinance of God so incorporated together, that they are not only all "members of the same body," 1 Cor. xii. 12, (of the same civil body, as they are men, and of the same mystical body, as they are Christians,) but even "members one of another," Rom. xii. 5; Ephes. iv. 25. Bp. Sanderson. 8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning,] That is, thy low and afflicted condition shall be suddenly changed into an happy and glorious state: "and thine health shall spring forth speedily;" thou shalt be restored to thy former prosperity: "and thy righteousness shall go before thee," like a harbinger to prepare the way to honour and esteem, as well as to shine before men for their example and the glory of God: "and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward," following thee in all thy ways, and, as it were, bringing up the rear, both to do thee honour, and to protect thee. W. Lowth, Wogan. 9. — the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity.] The first expression alludes to some gesture they used in conversation, whether of mocking orthovatening: or it may signify an attempt towards invading the right of others. See chap. lix. 3; Ps. cxxv. 3. "Vanity" here means falsehood and deceit. W. Lowth. 10. — if thou draw out thy soul &c.] The force of this expression is, to satisfy the hungry with all readiness and benevolence, agreeably to that of the Apostle, "God loveth a cheerful giver," 2 Cor. ix. 7; see also Rom. xii. 8. The Septuagint gives the sense more fully; "if thou give bread from thy soul." Vitringa. A charitable temper is commonly expressed by a large soul; and the contrary disposition by a narrow one. W. Lowth. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; &c.] If thou abstain from following thy own ways and pleasure on the sabbath, which is dedicated to my service. It appears from hence, that the precept of keeping the sabbath day holy did not enjoin merely a bodily rest, but implied also setting the day apart for the services of religion. See Jer. xvii. 21, &c. W. Lowth. The damnable nature of sin. Calamity is for sin. Before CHRIST about 698. c Deut. 32. 13. thee to *ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. # CHAP. LIX. 10. — in desolate places as dead men.] We are banished from the world, as the dead that have no longer any portion in it. See Ps. xlv. 19. W. Lowth. — the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee.] Those foreign nations, which are severed from thee by diverse seas. Bp. Hall. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister &c.] "Kedar" and "Nebaioth" were sons of Ishmael settled in Arabia: "Ephah" was a son of Mithan, Gen. xxv. 4. These people abounded in camels, and such beasts of burden, and their substance chiefly consisted in cattle. W. Lowth. What is said of the animals' ministering and going up, Vitringa understands as implying, that they shall offer themselves voluntarily; which gives a very elegant and poetical turn to the image: it being a general notion that prevailed with sacrifices among the heathen, that the victim's being brought without reluctance to the altar was a good omen; and the contrary a bad one. Bp. Lowth. 8. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? A flock of birds resembles a dark cloud. W. Lowth. The Prophet speaks of men's ready submission to the Gospel, and the great number of those that should come in upon the preaching of it. Abp. Tillotson. He alludes to the rapidity with which doves return to their habitations; considering also the purity and innocence of this bird, to what can the elect of God be better compared, or the Church, than to the dove-cote? This is the force of the word translated "window." The Holy Spirit frequently uses this emblem; see Ps. lxviii. 13; Hos. xi. 11. Vitringa. 9. Surely the isles shall wait for me, &c.] By "the isles" are meant the heathen nations: and their "waiting for" Christ expresses that readiness, with which they entertained the Gospel when first preached to them, as if they had been long in expectation of it. So Christ is said to be "the desire of all nations," Hag. ii. 7. Wogan. 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, &c.] This expression denotes that all the cedars and other choice trees of Lebanon should contribute to the rebuilding and beautifying of God's temple; which implies in a spiritual sense, that every thing should tend to adore and render perfect the Church; which is called the house and building of God, 1 Tim. iii. 15; 1 Cor. iii. 9. W. Lowth. — I will make the place of my feet glorious.] The temple of Jerusalem was called the house of God, and the place of his rest or residence. His visible symbolical appearance, called by the Jews the Shechinah, was in the most holy place, between the wings of the cherubim above the ark. This was considered as the throne of God; and the ark itself as his footstool: see Ps. xcix. 5; 1 Chron. xxviii. 2. Bp. Lowth. 14. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; &c.] See notes on chap. xlv. 14; xlix. 23. The church's blessings after affliction. CHAP. LX, LXI. The office of Christ. eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 17. For brass I will bring gold, &c.] As it is said of Solomon's times, that gold and silver were so plentiful, that there was no use of inferiour metals, 1 Kings x. 21. 27; so, in pursuance of the same metaphor, the New Jerusalem is described. Rev. xxi. 18, as made of "pure gold." The Prophet adds here, that in those happy days, that golden age, as we say commonly, the very officers of the publick revenues, and collectors of taxes, (a sort of men generally blamed as guilty of exaction and oppression, see Luke ii. 13,) shall be lovers of peace, and observers of justice. He goes on to describe complete security from all sort of violence, &c.; and, ver. 21, we read, "Thy people also shall be all righteous;" such characters can belong only to the New Jerusalem: (W. Lowth.) the description of which, Rev. xxi. 23, &c. is entirely taken from this chapter of Isaiah. Jos. Mede.